May June 2024 - A7

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
athletic department and athletic offerings that
we've always had, " Magoffin said.
STEM and STEAM-related skills are essential for
every esports athlete - encompassing in-depth
involvement with computer technology, strategic
planning, and statistical analysis for scouting.
" Esports has a huge connection to STEM and
STEAM careers, as well as careers in technical
education. Jobs like coding, media, journalism,
business management, sportscasting, and more are
definitely related to esports, " Josh Cobb, scholastic
director for PlayVS, said. " Esports is part of a
greater ecosystem. "
Being a part of the esports team can also go far
beyond just those students who are competitors.
Whether student interests include production,
shout casting, social media, design, analytics, or
spending time with friends, high school esports
provides an avenue for all these different interests
within the same program.
Riot Games, one of the biggest game publishers
and creator of " League of Legends, " has top
disciplines and careers in their company,
including art, engineering, game design,
production, and internships.
Sarah King, Director of the GT & Enrichment
Program in Comal Independent School District
in San Antonio, Texas, started her district's
esports program in 2021. In addition to her GT
responsibilities, King is also the Esports Director of
her district, which includes seven high schools that
all participate in esports across multiple titles.
" We have so many different varied interests for kids
and esports can provide an avenue that is directly
related to industry possibilities, career explorations,
and scholarship opportunities, " King said.
Within King's school district, two students have
been offered scholarships to four-year private
universities to play esports - one for " Overwatch "
and the other for " League of Legends. " The
scholarships are worth $90,000.
" Looking at how far we've come in a short amount
of time and being able to capture these huge
opportunities for our kids went from 'I just want
them to feel engaged and connected' to 'how can we
leverage this and help their future grow?' " King said.
According to PlayVS coaches, students not only
cultivate character but also nurture discipline through
their participation. Coaches also report that students
often see improved self-esteem, communication
skills, and sportsmanship through esports
competitions. In addition, school districts that foster
esports programs have seen an increase in grades
and attendance among participating students.
" Looking at kids and watching their collaboration,
teamwork, watching them host their practices,
post-game reviews, and scouting enhances their
experience as an individual student and a whole to
the team, " King said. " These students are going to
represent their campus and their school. "
King has also noticed increased leadership skills since
implementing esports programs across the district.
" Watching our students take on different leadership
roles on the team, like having team captains,
looking at how everyone can improve before going
into the next game, was not something I was
expecting, " King said. " Seeing that develop and
seeing the kids step into the roles as teen leaders
is amazing. Social and emotional development and
improvement in mental health is also something
that has increased. "
King strives to have her students feel included and
excited about school. Esports is a perfect fit for her
district and helps students enhance their teamwork
skills, collaboration, engagement, and more.
" We have a role as educators to make sure every
single student that walks through our doors knows
that they belong here and know that we have their
back. We want them to feel safe, comfortable, and
engaged and know that they have peers who have
their back as well, " King said. " For me, (having
esports) is a no-brainer. Why would I not want to
provide more opportunities for students to be
excited to come to school? "
To learn more about PlayVS, visit www.playvs.com.
PlayVS Esports InFocus | A7
http://www.playvs.com
May June 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May June 2024
