As esports have increased in popularity, so has the awareness of their benefits. Creating an esports club in your high school is a convoluted process. In this article, you'll find the general steps for teachers and students to start a high school esports club.
There are many benefits to participating in an esports club. Refining teamwork, increasing social-emotional skills, and honing responsible decision-making are only a few of the attributes needed to succeed. Schools have also begun to see the same benefits and discovered the enormous untapped potential for growth for students with a roaring passion for video games.
Find games people are passionate about
Esports requires passionate players with the drive to improve at the game. Esports leagues participate in casual games that are easy to start, like Mario Kart or Rocket League, or more complex games, like League of Legends or Starcraft. No multiplayer game is off the table.
If you’re a student in a school without an esports club, perhaps you can take the lead on establishing one! Any successful club grows alongside the interest of its members, so it could be helpful to advertise your intention to create a club to gather interested members. Finding a teacher or staff member who’s also passionate about video games and esports adds another layer of authenticity and visibility to your club.
Narrow down to your first game
Once you’ve established a few games your community is interested in, it’s time to narrow down your selection based on what’s financially feasible for you.
Since you’re likely just starting out, your budget will probably be low or nonexistent. This would mean games that require one device per person will likely be more expensive, like League of Legends or Fortnite. What’s more financially feasible would be couch co-op/versus games like Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, and Street Fighter. These games only require one console and multiple controllers, which is much more portable and cheaper than bringing numerous PCs.
Once you're ready to host a tournament, choosing a game that’s easy to watch and understand can be beneficial. Games like Mario Kart and Wii Sports are intuitive to play and fun to watch. These games are a great choice, so those who come to watch your tournament may be driven to join the tournament themselves next time.
