During the pandemic of Covid-19, many teenagers resorted to doing things online due to being on lockdown. Bored students turned even more so towards video games, because it was online and they could have fun with their friends doing it. Since then, there has been a rise of Esport clubs starting in the nation’s schools, reportedly 53 highschools in Michigan indulge in the club, according to the Detroit news.
The high school kicked off the start of the Esports club in the beginning of the 22/23 school year. The club hasn’t had enough recognition for the fun and positive effects it provides. Students get together and play video games together and compete against other esports clubs around the state.
Mark Lago. He teaches the middle school band and is the staff advisor of the Esports club. He has been the advisor since the start of the club.
“This is my first year coaching Esports, but I’ve run and participated in a variety of charity video game tournaments in the Grand Rapids area,” Lago said. “I’ve learned a ton about Esports coaching, from a Grandville native and former Halo world champion, as well as from one of my good friends who lives in Seoul, South Korea where he works at the Nexon Esports stadium.”
Students may be unaware of what Esports is due to it being fairly new to the high school.
“Esports refers to competitive video gaming. It dates all the way back to the early 1970s with a large competition on the campus of Stanford University for the game Spacewar,” Lago said. “Esports as a term was first used shortly after and has grown in [recent years].”
The club offers a selection of four video games, the games differentiate from each other a great deal in style. These range from combat to racing and includes Rocket League, Overwatch, Smash Bros and Mario Kart.
Beyond just enjoyment there are academic bonuses provided by esports.
“There are immense socio-emotional benefits for the opportunity to bond and work together in teams with other people who play games [students] have been into,” Lago said. “In addition, there is also a growing esports scene at the college level with many scholarship opportunities.”
According to Cappex, a website that provides a search engine for college scholarships, 5,000 students over the range of 170 colleges, participate in varsity esports.
Although the Esports team competes, they don’t have strict daily practice times and hours. It’s a very accessible club for those looking for something to do with a decent size group of kids.
“We have about 25 students currently,” Lago said. “On-campus practice [is] every other week on Mondays, from four to six [pm]. Offweek practices are student led and typically done from home.”
Roni Robinson is a junior that enjoys participating in this new club.
“A lot of players from different games get together as a team, form friendships and get to partake in an activity they all share a liking [for],” Robinson said.
Braiden McNay is a senior who also partakes in the club. McNay finds the club very entertaining, although it has a different atmosphere than most clubs.
“This is a first year club about video games in school,” McNay said. “There is a really big learning curve for everyone about their games, and the competitive drive from everyone and wanting to win.”
Despite the club only having one meeting, Robinson and McNay have been able to pick out their fondest memories.
Robinson recognizes the challenges in the club but admires them.
“My favorite moment so far has definitely been the initial meeting where flexibility was key, we had to deal with setbacks, but we all laughed it off,” Robinson said.
McNay has indulged in prior events adjacent to the esports club.
“I’ve competed in Esports in the past, being given that opportunity in high school has given me something to look forward to for my senior year,” McNay said.
The first Esports competition took place on February 1 2023 this started the beginning of the club season. Esports hopes to grow their club this year with players who want to play for fun or competitively.
