eSports is, in a basic definition, competitive multiplayer gaming. It sounds like we just want students to stay after school, and play video games. However, eSports is much more than that.

Did you know that students can earn scholarships for participation on the eSports team? Competing in the High School Starleague, students have a chance of earning $35,000 in money towards college. Last year, the University of Pikeville offered full tuition for recruits on their eSports team. Up to twenty of these scholarships are now available. UPike is the second college in the United States to offer such an opportunity, after Robert Morris College in Chicago announced its decision to include League of Legends as a varsity sport. UPike has repeatedly stated that they wish to recruit students from the local area to participate on their team, which makes our team an ideal step-in-the-door for them to earn scholarships.

Also, League of Legends, our game of choice for now, is known for its teamwork. Players on teams of five use unique characters against each other in order to reach the main objective: to destroy the enemy nexus. By the use of champions, items, abilities, and tactics, players work together in order to achieve victory. Because this game is relatively easy to get into, 67 millions players play monthly - making it the most popular game in the world. The amount of people with varying skill levels have developed a lucrative eSports scene for people who enjoy watching what is called Pro LCS. League of Legends pro games have also been aired on ESPN, with many of the pro players and streamers (people who broadcast their games on video sites such as YouTube and Twitch.tv) making a living off this game. Some pro players make around $300,000 annually. They are even revered as celebrities, with Brian “TheOddOne” Wyllie practicing in front of 20,000 - 30,000 people regularly.

I would like to let this highly-popular sport be taken as a serious extracurricular sporting activity at Johnson Central High School and other high schools across this great state. The opportunities that are being presented to young people is phenomenal, and it would be my honor to help the eSports gaming community take off in this area. But I can’t do it without the support of those who make this state great. I know it seems like nothing more than games, but it’s more than that. For some people, this is their future: it’s their passion. For some it makes school and their education meaningful. For some it gives them something to belong to.