As one of the newest clubs offered at LHS, the Esports club leaves many questions to be answered. Where is the club held? Who is eligible to join? When does the club meet? Most significantly, what is an Esports club?
Esports, short for electronic sports, is defined as a form of competitive online gaming that amateur and professional players compete in. In other words, Esports are gaming competitions with and against other teams. Schools compete against one another through virtual competitions. The first documented Esports competition was in 1972 at Stanford University’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and since then, Esports have only increased in popularity.
All students are welcome to participate regardless of skill level, and all grades are eligible to join the club. The Esports club advisor is Susan Ehrlich, and club meetings are held in Room 221. The club meets two times every week, not including competitions. Currently, the club has 20 gaming computers, and the first game that members played was Rocket League. Principal Matthew Sarosy and Ehrlich said that other options/titles that students are interested in can be explored in the future.
“We are learning that there are several benefits, including future career opportunities, to having an Esports club at LHS. Gaming is perhaps more popular than ever, and having a school-sponsored club gives us the ability to offer another way for students to connect their passion to the building,” said Sarosy, enthusiastic about the benefits of the new club. Colleges offer many scholarships for video game and programming design, and the Esports club allows students to explore working with computers and games in a fun environment.
The club plans to have a leadership board consisting of heads of community, strategy, logistics and content. There are many ways to get involved in Esports, not just through competing. “Esports teams present a variety of opportunities for students. There are a few types of memberships: competition, broadcasting, and marketing. Students will develop gaming skills, but also skills like communication, teamwork, perseverance, and critical thinking,” explained Ehrlich.
As for competitions, “The remote nature of Esports allows us to compete against schools basically anywhere. I believe the club will be able to network with schools from up and down the East Coast, especially next year when we are officially in the league,” shared Sarosy.
Overall, the new Esports club provides many new and exciting opportunities for LHS. There are so many ways to become involved; it is a place to spend time with friends and possibly make new ones.
