Laredo College will begin its new school year recruiting athletes for its esports program.
The program, initiated on April 1, has been progressing slowly. However Carmelino Castillo, Dean of Student Engagement & Athletics, stated that this year they are expecting a huge boom.
About 30 students are already interested in participating in esports, and the program will be split into three categories. Esports club will be for the students who don’t meet the qualifications. The intermedial category will be part of the National Junior College Athletic Association, and students will need to have 2.0 GPA and be registered for 12 credit hours. The competitive side will need a 3.0 GPA maintained along with being enrolled for 12 credit hours.
As Castillo overviews orientation program at Laredo College, he says students have been amazed by the program.
“When I present it to students, they go, ‘Oh my God, Laredo College has esports?’ Here in Laredo, students that graduate from school or students that are in school have their own gaming clubs, but they didn’t know that Laredo College — and they will know starting this fall semester — has esports competition. So what has been only known for universities such as UT and Texas A&M is now going to be available here in Webb County for our local community for our students to compete in the same level as they are.”
Starting September, the season for esports begins. However, the program will be accepting candidates all year round.
Students who are interested in esports will be able to compete at any time. They just got to log into the computer and play with their team against other two-year institutions from around the world.
According to Castillo, some of the goals esports has is to get a dual enrollment team for each high school that the college has the program with. They also hope to create a competitive team for the Fort McIntosh and South campuses and to grow the sport so there can be an esports league in town, and lead to Laredo hosting a national tournament.
“Laredo College has been for 75 years setting trends for higher education in the City of Laredo and Webb County,” he expressed. “Laredo College constantly strives, so the goal is to be No. 1 in esports for four- to two-year institutions, and bring in a national title.”
Students interested in learning or applying for the esports program can reach Carmelino Castillo at c.castillo@laredo.edu.
karol.garcia@lmtonline.com
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