Boyle County esports

Lark (pictured at left), who is also on the school’s bowling team, said esports provides opportunities for students like her who would “probably be chilling at home playing video games” instead of sitting in the student section at a football game.

“It gives us a chance to come together and hang out with each other and actually feel comfortable in our own space,” she said. “Game-wise, it’s more strategic so it may not be physical, but it is mental on all of us. We’re strategizing and actually getting teamwork and learning all these skills we’re going to need to know in the future.

“We specifically work on teamwork and communication and listening with other people and then the actual game itself teaches us how to multi-task better and see things from a different point of view and different surroundings,” Lark added. “So, it may not help us with school work, but it helps you in those soft skills you’re going to need to know in real life.”

Sophomore Trey Gordon, who also competes in pole vault on the track team, said esports forces students to think critically and work others, two skills that will help in the classroom.

“If you’re learning about a game you’ve got to know every in and out of a character to know why they’re good or why they’re bad,” he said, noting that students have to communicate and strategize with their teammates during the game. “A lot of times the school will say, ‘You’ve got to do group presentations,’ so you can actually work with some of your partners and say, ‘All right, this is a good idea, but this is how we can improve it.’”

In addition to the skills they need in high school, the students say that esports may lead to opportunities after graduation.

“There’s really an untapped market for scholarships in esports because it’s becoming much more of a bigger competition as more and more schools hop on the bandwagon,” Skelton said.

 

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