Esports is a formalized version of video gaming. The games and their goals are the same as
when players go online in their free time and play, but the setting is different, including teams and coaches, jerseys, and stakes. There has been a rise in professional esports, resulting in many colleges starting teams. With colleges gaining interest, several high schools have begun to debate whether they too should start a team.
Some parents may scoff at the idea of including a button-pressing sport in high schools, but by creating teams and competitions, the video game hobby is harnessed and provides tremendous benefits for its players. By playing on a team, players learn how to practice a game versus just playing (Juhasz, 2020). This is similar to an individual who plays soccer and spends time drilling corner kicks, passing, and lifting weights to strengthen their legs instead of just constantly scrimmaging. For both of these situations, practicing encourages an individual to assess their weaknesses and spend time working on improving those aspects of their game.
Esports also introduce a new group of students to school-sponsored activities and allow students the
chance to find a community where they feel like they belong (PlayVS, n.d.). Having this community within schools encourages students to care more about school, and students who are involved in extracurricular activities perform better on tests (PlayVS, n.d.). Additionally, because school sponsored activities can have requirements to participate, schools can implement necessary grade averages in addition to attendance policies, which can lead to better school performance for students (Bentley, 2019).
The implementation of esports teams would allow for these measurable positive outcomes, but it would also help players develop several soft skills, including “communication, critical and strategic thinking, creativity, sportsmanship, and leadership” (PlayVS, n.d., Pg. 2). Many of these skills are in high demand by employers and can help a student improve themselves. Playing video games in a structured setting also teaches time management, as students are tasked with balancing their practice time with their school work and social life (PlayVS, n.d.). Learning time management can help students think about why they shouldn’t stay up until 4 a.m. playing video games on a school night, which can help eliminate a stereotype of many gamers.
To be continued with "Esports in High Schools Part II: The Cons"
To be published: 10/8/2021
References
Juhasz, A. (2020, January 24). As Esports take off, high school leagues get in the game. NPR.
Retrieved September 27, 2021, from
https://www.npr.org/2020/01/24/798172352/as-esports-take-off-high-school-leagues-
get-in-the-game.
Pan, W., Gao, X., Shi, S., Liu, F., & Li, C. (2018, January 12). Spontaneous brain activity
did not show the effect of violent video games on aggression: A resting-state fmri study.
Frontiers in psychology. Retrieved September 28, 2021, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5770362/.
PlayVS. (n.d.). The Parents’ Guide to High School Esports. NFHS. Retrieved September 27,
2021, from https://www.nfhs.org/media/1020194/parents_esports_guide.pdf.