eSports NM Schools Offer Competitive Gaming By KELSEY SINCLAIR Gone are the days when kids played video games alone, clacking on the keyboard in their rooms. Today, talented eSports players can join New Mexico high school and collegiate teams to win big bucks and sizable scholarships. The New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) recognizes eSports as a K-12 activity and local college students are honing their skills to dominate video game tournaments. Gaming is growing fast and New Mexico students are leading the way. eSports refers to the world of competitive gaming, usually with popular titles like “League of Legends,” “Call of Duty,” “Super Smash Bros,” “Fortnite” and “OverWatch.” Once a fringe hobby saved for LAN parties and arcades, eSports is now a multibilliondollar industry where top athletes can earn seven-figure salaries and lucrative sponsorships. There is a strong spectator component, and gamers can build an audience of millions of passionate fans over video platforms like YouTube and Twitch. Even for students who aren’t interested in stardom, the exploding eSports industry has countless career opportunities for students to explore, including marketing, production, tech support and coaching. In the past few years, collegiate eSports exploded in popularity and many colleges announced new eSports teams and scholarships. More than 200 colleges offer a combined $15 million in scholarships, according to the eSports infrastructure organization PlayVS. Student Dylan Bowman is well acquainted with the putdowns of eSports naysayers: “Is that really a sport?” “That’s just a hobby.” “You can’t make that a career.” He’s a member of the University of New Mexico eSports club and helps manage their events. While these doubts often arise when he speaks about the club to new students, it has attracted 600 members since its founding in 2018. Eighty of those members compete in eSports tournaments. “There is a lot of genuine interest from people,” Bowman said. “At least to some extent, everyone understands gaming whether
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July/August 2021
you went to an arcade or had an older sibling you played video games against. There is this interest from both faculty and students. The more we’ve been able to get out the word to students, the more people have joined the club.” Like other sports, there is a regular season in the fall and spring and teams practice throughout the semester. While the club values competition, many members join just to play games and share memes with new friends. The club hosts game nights during the semester and other social activities. “As long as you have an interest and are willing to participate in the community, you are welcome here with open arms,” Bowman said. Not only does the team provide community to students but also it helps them develop skills. “We encourage academics and development of the students while they’re here in this setting but they also develop the skills and marketability for someone who wants to enter eSports as a career. We take a holistic approach with academics at the forefront,” said Bernardo Gallegos, staff adviser for UNM eSports. Bowman credits eSports with keeping him in college. “I not only like the club and the community environment and support that comes with it but also the motivation of wanting to be a part of this and get a career in this field,” Bowman said. “How do I do that? I have to maintain good grades and attendance.” The team will have a larger percentage of students with high school eSports experience than ever before due to the expansion of high school eSports teams in New Mexico, Bowman said. At one “League of Legends” tournament, about half the teams were from high schools. “It was kind of like, ‘Wow! I wish I had (had) that in high school.’” At Rio Rancho High School, the eSports program began six years ago and now has about 100 active members, 25 of whom compete. “We see (students) from varsity swimming, tennis, basketball and football to drama, marching band, theater and debate. It really does run the gamut of who shows up. Once you put controllers in their hands and get them playing a game together though, those differences don't matter; they all become gamers,” said Michael Mascone, head of the Rio Rancho High School eSports program. Students must meet grade requirements for eSports as in other sports, Mascone said. “We have seen some really positive things in relation to grades for some of our players,” he said. “The NMAA mandates a 2.0 and no Fs for students to be able to play on competitive teams, and I push that even further by requiring a 2.5. If my players don't have that, then they have meetings and study sessions with me, either at school or virtually, until their grades come up. Esports has also been a great way to level the playing field for all ages and physical abilities. It doesn't matter if you are the fastest on the football field, the strongest in wrestling or the tallest on the volleyball court, everyone has the same starting point in esports,” Mascone said. Coaches agreed that some parents have trouble understanding gaming as a sport, but they can see their child blossom by participating in a school activity. JD Mead, a member of the NMAA eSports Advisory Board and a coach at Portales High School, has encountered some skeptical parents. His advice? Just show the child support. Parental support will boost confidence, help playing ability and improve academic performance. “One of my players told me that their family members were so excited that this student wanted to nail an upcoming test to make sure that they can continue to play, even though they had As and Bs,” Mead said. “I think some parents have a better understanding of what gaming looks like versus what it used to be back in the late ‘90s/early 2000s. I think the big thing that helped parents out was watching their child compete on our Twitch stream and being able to cheer them on. They may not fully understand the sport but the kids knowing that their family and friends are cheering them on is nice.”