eSports officially stands for electronic sports, not to be confused with video games. Esports takes video gaming to another level with organized competitive gameplay between two teams, governed by its own strict set of rules and guidelines. The difference is comparable to a pick-up basketball game at a park versus a varsity high school basketball game. eSports requires teamwork, communication, critical and strategic thinking, creativity, sportsmanship, and leadership – much like traditional sports. PlayVS High School leagues require a coach to provide the structure of a high school sport.
PlayVS eSports is recognized by the CIF, making it an official sport in the state of California. Much like other sports there is a pre-season consisting of practice and scrimmages, then league play followed by playoffs to crown a champion. Unlike other sports, there are two seasons during the school year: one in the fall and another in the spring. We are looking to grow the program and have multiple teams in Rocket League, League of Legends, and Super Smash Bros.
Everyone from all grades is welcome to join as long as they are age 13 or older, meet the GPA requirement, and are not playing another sport at the same time.
Senior Trevor Ragazzo shared his thoughts as a participant in eSports: “This past year has been rough for all of us. I’m happy Paraclete started up an eSports team as it helped relieve the stress of school, and it’s a great way to meet people that you would have never talked with. Even though I won’t be here next year, it was a good experience and I’m glad I signed up.”
Here is a link for more information from PlayVS:
eSports Scholarships – Currently, hundreds of colleges and universities offer tens of millions of dollars in eSports scholarship money. That number grows substantially every year as more and more schools spin up eSports programs. Players can also progress into college where they can compete.