Do many kids play too many video games? Yes.
Do some of the games kids play lack the values I would like to see portrayed? Definitely
Do I want our schools to get in the esports game? Absolutely
Conversations around esports is a wonderful generational clash. Those of us who grew up with Atari, ColecoVision and the original 
Nintendo often cannot fathom the idea that there is any redeeming value in the video games that today’s kids are playing. From what we see in the media the innocence of Pac-Man has been replaced by a stream of violent first-person shooter games.
Well, we hosted our first esports tournament last month with teams from all of our high schools and it was awesome!
I loved what I saw for a host of reasons, many of the same reasons I love what I see with students participating in the arts, athletics and clubs in school. Students were taking on a role as part of a team towards a collective goal. They were problem solving and 
competing.
Esports are definitely a global phenomena. They are projected to do more than a billion dollars in business this year. In a recent poll in the United States young people in similar numbers identified themselves as fans of esports as they were of football. Closer to home the Vancouver Titans have marked our entry locally into the professional esports circuit and professional facilities are being built to host players and fans. And it is not just for professionals, as colleges are beginning to run varsity esports teams and offer college scholarships.
Of course, just because something is popular doesn’t mean we should do it in our K-12 system. What I have seen with esports in our schools, and elsewhere make me think they are a good fit our schools. Some of the “why” for me includes:
- Esports engage students as part of the school. Students wear school uniforms, and have a sense of pride and identity. Students connected to schools is a factor in success.
- Esports are about team. There is tremendous coordination and communications among participants as they work towards their goals. These are some of the real world skills we continually say we want more of in schools.
- When we play esports in school it makes it easier to open up conversations about the type of games students play, the length of time they spend playing and hopefully influence their gaming with our school system values.
- A key aspect of schooling is relevance. When we see scholarships being awarded, universities being engaged, professional leagues being established and careers being built not only in playing but in other STEM related fields related to esports, we should look for an entry point.
I think some of the push-back has to do with the word “sport” in the name – as though a proponent of esports is saying that we shouldn’t be physically active – as if it is a choice between the two. Esports are not intended to replace soccer or basketball. Nor do I really think they should be in the Olympics. (Of course there is another really good post here about what exactly is an athlete – I 
remember the questions in 1995 when Indy 500 Champion Jacques Villeneuve won the Lou Marsh Trophy for Top Canadian Athlete and Larry Walker said “I got beat by a machine”). But like with competitive robotics, or entrepreneurial showcases, debate competitions or trivia tournaments they are a way to connects students and their school. And a little bit of competition is sometimes a good thing!
Maybe esports are a fad? Of course 200 million people watched the 2018 League of Legends World Championships, about twice as many as watched the Super Bowl, so it is showing some early staying power. Esports remind us we should go where the kids are. They offer an opportunity to turn what can be an isolating event into a social experience that contributes to the overall culture in the school.
Students take great pride in contributing to their schools and schools continually find new ways to make this happen. Esports is just one of the latest ones – and one that looks like it might have some long term staying power.
cultureofyes.ca 