\u201cIt\u2019s a lot more than just playing games,\u201d junior J. Prince, also known as \u201cLunarEclipse,\u201d said. \u201cA lot of it is learning specific strategies, and especially if it\u2019s a team-based game, it\u2019s being able to communicate well with your teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n
Across the country, scholastic esports has exploded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
PlayVS<\/a>, formerly known as the High School Esports League, reaches more than 250,000 students in over 7,000 schools<\/a>. Industry research shows participants attend school about seven more days a year than their peers<\/a>. The programs keep students engaged, improve attendance and help them connect their interests to real-world skills, according to educators.<\/p>\n At Summit, the Eclipse Raiders built their program from scratch, designing jerseys, hosting livestreams and competing in tournaments around the region. The experience helped Stimms think like a leader, not just a player, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to turn this into a business. Something that helps other gamers build their own community and use technology in new ways,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The lessons extend far beyond the controller, teammate Araceli Maga\u00f1a said.<\/p>\n \u201cEach game brings its own thing to the table,\u201d she said. \u201cWhether they\u2019re hard skills or soft skills, you can always use them later.\u201d<\/p>\n Maga\u00f1a, the only girl on the team, said gaming began as a family tradition \u2014 hours of Super Smash Bros. matches with her parents and brothers \u2014 and evolved into a way to connect with classmates and sharpen her problem-solving skills.<\/p>\n \u201cIt teaches you to think critically and plan ahead,\u201d she said. \u201cYou have to adapt and react fast.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018They develop confidence\u2019<\/p>\n Jacqueline Sanchez, a college and career counselor at Uplift Summit who sponsors the team, said she\u2019s watched her students\u2019 confidence grow since the club began.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the surface it might sound like it\u2019s just for recreation, but there are so many career opportunities in the gaming world,\u201d she said. \u201cThey also develop communication skills and leadership qualities they didn\u2019t have before.\u201d<\/p>\n Esports gives students \u2014 particularly those who might not join traditional athletics \u2014 a space to belong, Sanchez said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re into video games, you can be pretty withdrawn,\u201d she said. \u201cNow they\u2019re vocal. They\u2019re encouraging, and they want to bring others in. It\u2019s about connecting what they learn in class to the world outside it.\u201d<\/p>\n And schools report better attendance and higher grades among players. In one California district, average GPAs for esports participants rose from 2.80 to 3.04<\/a> in a single school year, according to Modesto City Schools results.<\/p>\n Traditional school districts are seeing the same trend as the public charter network Uplift \u2014 more interest, more participation and more recognition of the benefits, officials said.\u00a0<\/p>\n What began as a few after-school gaming clubs has evolved into formal teams, systemwide leagues and even varsity letters for competitors. The opportunities don\u2019t end at graduation, either. Colleges such as the University of Texas at Arlington and Texas Wesleyan University now offer esports programs \u2014 and, in some cases, full-ride scholarships for top players.<\/p>\n White Settlement ISD has esports teams in Brewer High and Middle schools, allowing students to build a sense of belonging, coach Jesse Barnes said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of going home and playing alone, students have a place to meet with friends and make new ones,\u201d Barnes said in a statement. \u201cIt\u2019s helped engage students in school who otherwise might not have been.\u201d<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfae How other Fort Worth-area school districts are playing to learn:\u00a0<\/p>\n Fort Worth: Five campuses host esports clubs and teams, where students build skills in strategy, teamwork, communication and leadership, spokesperson Jessica Becerra said in a statement. Those translate into career readiness across industries, such as aviation, engineering and computer science, she said.<\/p>\n Hurst-Euless-Bedford: The district launched its varsity esports program in 2019 and has since earned top-three national finishes in speed chess and Hearthstone<\/a>. Coach Stephen Walloch said esports teaches teamwork, inclusion and timeliness \u2014 \u201cskills our students carry into their future careers.\u201d<\/p>\n Northwest: Three of four high schools host esports clubs or competitive teams. Cara Carter, the district\u2019s chief technology officer, said the program promotes leadership, confidence and collaboration. \u201cIt\u2019s so much more than gaming. It gives students who may not participate in traditional athletics a chance to lead, compete and connect,\u201d she said in a statement.<\/p>\n Crowley: Now in its fifth year, Crowley\u2019s esports club engages students who may not otherwise join school activities, digital learning specialist Casey Smith said in a statement. \u201cParticipation reinforces academic eligibility, teamwork and quick decision-making \u2014 skills valued in technology and military careers.\u201d<\/p>\n Aledo and Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISDs: These districts do not host esports programs or clubs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Arlington, Keller, Burleson, Everman, Castleberry and Lake Worth district officials did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n Back at Uplift Summit, Stimms was already thinking ahead \u2014 expanding the team\u2019s presence on Twitch<\/a> by planning more livestreams and recruiting younger students to take the reins once he graduates.\u00a0<\/p>\n He hopes to build a sustainable program that outlasts his time at school.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve shown what you can build if you treat it like more than just a game,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n And with the global esports market projected to surpass $2 billion by 2032<\/a>, he and other students are finding their way into a growing industry \u2014 one that rewards the same skills they practice every day.<\/p>\n Focus, creativity and teamwork.<\/p>\n Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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