Support esports for students, as a path to a professional career.

As we see esports continue to increase in popularity and more gamers making successful careers of it, while we certainly need to promote with children the wonders of the outdoors and spending quality time away from electronic screens, it’s time we end the stigma against video games and start encouraging kids with a knack for gaming to pursue it professionally. Esports has taken the world by storm. It is estimated 380 million people watch esports worldwide. With increased global success, and recognition as a valid sporting activity in recent years, esports are even came to the 2021 Olympics for the first time in history.

Esports is a burgeoning commerce sector. Beyond gaming professionally, esports also requires announcers, producers, video editors, event coordinators, game creators and so much more. In fact, the number of jobs available in the esports industry grew by 87 percent in 2019, with the United States being home to more than half of all esports jobs. Beyond competing and earning a varsity letter, participating on an esports team, much like participating on traditional sports teams, equips students with many of the skills they will come to rely on while in college and in the professional world — such as communication, collaboration, timeliness and teamwork. It also gives them the opportunity to experience competition, something they certainly need to be comfortable with as they prepare to compete for scholarships, college acceptance and work.

More from LSJ opinion Esports is more than playing video games on the couch with your friends — it’s an interactive experience and an opportunity for students to turn their hobby into a successful career. Technology is evolving, and as educators we must keep up with the times. In this case, that means supporting students with a passion for video gaming by offering esports in schools.

At GLLA, our esports team consists of nearly 40 high school students competing both on teams and as individuals. Our students learn fully online, so the esports team gives them the opportunity to interact with their peers in a way they normally would not be able to. Much like other schools in Michigan, GLLA’s team is treated as a varsity sport — meaning students can earn a varsity letter, they have coaches, the team meets multiple times a week to practice, and they compete against other high schools in tournaments. As the demand for jobs increases and the industry continues to grow globally, so should our efforts as educators to provide students with the skills and resources they need to be successful while in school and after graduation. High schools and colleges across the country, including right here in Michigan, are starting to offer esports as a club or sport — and we’re doing the same at Great Lakes Learning Academy.

John Jaquith is executive director at Great Lakes Learning Academy, a tuition-free online public school.

News Highlights Games

• Headline: Support esports for students, as a path to a professional career.
• Check all news and articles from the Gaming news updates.