Competitive sports as we know have been changed with the inclusion of gaming. What was once known as a time-consuming hobby is now a collegiate sport that you can receive a scholarship for and is a pro sport akin to baseball and basketball.
The world of competitive gaming has gone from playing at home to competing at your school, and now to thousands of people cheering you on in an arena.
E-sports gives non-athletic students and gamers a community to be a part of. History teacher Leonardo Delmundo is bringing e-sports to UACHS. He expands on what his expectations for the club are, with the intentions of expanding students’ sense of responsibility further than the classroom.
“I think maintaining a good GPA average is going to be required, ” said Delmundo. “I want to know that they are disciplined in other aspects of their lives. This is going to be a time of commitment for them. If they are not committed to something else, how can they be committed to being a part of a team?”
Once part of the team, students are given the opportunity to keep the competitiveness alive and still learn good sportsmanship. Playing e-sports can be an escape for some or just entertainment for others. There are a variety of games to enjoy that Delmundo is offering to his team.
“The e-sports games I was thinking about are along the lines of Valorant, Apex Legends, and Rainbow Six Siege.” said Delmundo. “However, if they lose, they have to be able to understand how to handle it. It is easy to get frustrated with this kind of thing.”
Although the e-sports team has not yet been established, Delmundo hopes to brighten
the school environment by adding something new to the community.
“I believe we are going to build a good foundation with a solid background of constant practices,” said Delmundo. “But I want them to see it more as something you have to take a little more seriously, assuming they get scholarships to colleges that offer e-sports. Some kids even make millions of dollars to get signed up for a professional team.”