It’s the state finals, 2022.
The team from Little Rock Central is experienced, and all of its members have displayed good hand-eye coordination throughout the tournament. The players from Bentonville High are equally fast and quick-thinking and ready for the challenge.
A buzzer sounds, and the competition begins. But instead of face-to-face confrontations on a field of play, the players here are seated in computer rooms at their schools hundreds of miles from each another.
This is the emerging world of es-ports, where high school students challenge each other online in video games.
When I first heard about high school students competing in video games, I thought it was a joke. For years the view has been to get kids off the couch by getting them involved in something constructive, and now we’re going to encourage them to sit and play video games at school?
Go, fight, click.
Like many of my generation, I grew up a “meat and potatoes” guy in regard to sports. We played football in the fall, basketball in the winter, and played baseball in the spring and summer. Since I became a sports writer, I’ve grown to appreciate other sports like volleyball and wrestling. But the inclusion of esports shows the line between sports and recreation continues to be blurred. But this isn’t about me and what I like.
High school teams for esports are being formed across the country, and some will be accepted as a sanctioned sport. Students in Arizona will compete for a state championship in video games starting next year. Other states could follow with increased participation from a generation that has grown up with cellphones and video games at its disposal.
So, what about Arkansas? Could esports take its place in the near future alongside more than a dozen sports sanctioned by the Arkansas Activities Association?
Probably not. Change comes slower in Arkansas than in other parts of the country. Esports will initially be listed as an activity in Arkansas — much like quiz bowl — and teams will compete for a trophy from the AAA if enough schools are interested.
And there is plenty of interest, judging by the crowd size to hear a presentation by Mark Koski of the National Federation of State High Schools at the AAA office in North Little Rock on Oct. 23. Koski is CEO of NFHS Network.
“We invited high school principals and superintendents from across the state, and 75 people showed up,” said Derek Walter, assistant executive director for media relations and marketing with the AAA. “This meeting was held to gather information about esports and to gauge interest from other schools. Lake Hamilton already has 150 students competing in esports.”
Esports is comprised of co-ed teams of five, and tournaments will begin next year in between 18 and 20 states, Koski said. Competition will be held in the spring from February to May and in the fall from October to January.
Proponents for esports cite a variety of reasons for forming teams. The most obviously, of course, is to get students involved in a school activity and help them build relationships and teamwork. The cost to participate is far less than traditional sports, and students can learn additional computer skills in the process.
Perhaps most importantly, a disabled student who’s been left out can enjoy the fun and excitement of participating with his peers and being part of a team. Schools can form several teams, where everyone can get involved.
Those are all good reasons, I guess, to sit and play video games. But call it an activity, a recreation or even a hobby.
Just don’t call it a sport.
Rick Fires can be reached at rfires@ nwadg.com or on Twitter @NWARick.