Before the pandemic hit, an intriguing, cutting-edge team was suggested to Cassandra Menhart by her student Jacob Smith. Jacob came with the idea of adding an Esports team at Carmichaels Area Junior Senior High School. However, Cassandra was not that familiar with Esports at the time.
Esports is a competition style with which some people are not familiar. It is a form of competition focusing on video games, offering organized, multiplayer video game competitions for individuals or teams. As with other sports, Esports can be very competitive. Colleges have started offering Esports scholarships, and according to a recent piece in the Harvard Business Review, “employers seek candidates who have other sorts of ‘soft skills,’ such as being able to work well with others…the latest research and interviews with industry professionals suggests that eSports is a perfect training ground to let students test and develop these skills.”
Cassandra’s passion for the Esports team is apparent. As the library specialist at Carmichaels Junior Senior High School, Cassandra was able to raise funds at the library cafe to buy computers. Unfortunately, just as the project started to get underway, the pandemic forced a delay. Jacob Smith, a 2021 graduate of Carmichaels who now attends college on a gaming scholarship, and Christian Mori offered to come in over the summer and help get the equipment set up for the 2021 class. Carmichaels is one of the first schools in this county to offer Esports.
There is currently a Gaming Concepts class at the high school and word of the Esports team was spread among the students. Interest levels were gauged and the idea was incredibly popular. In fact, Esports garnered so much interest that it averages 18-20 members. All of the members are currently juniors and seniors. There are six gaming computers. Most teams are broken down into six players, so this works out well. The Esports team at Carmichaels High School currently plays the games Overwatch, Rainbow 6 Siege, and Call of Duty. There has been interest at the middle school in starting an Esports team with age-appropriate games such as Rocket League.
Camaraderie is also a big part of Esports at the school. The school expects students’ commitment to the team, and in turn they work to make a schedule that allows for the players to practice together. While Esports could be played separately, the players build communications skills and fellowship by playing their competitions in person together.
Cassandra mentions what fun it is to watch the team communicating with each other. They are, “in it to win it,” she says. The better players teach the newer players; everyone works together on the Esports team.
There are currently teams playing all over the country. The students at Carmichaels High School are involved in a great experience. Other school districts have visited Carmichaels Area School District to see about starting their own Esports teams, and hopefully the competition will grow in Greene County.
