Introducing eSports at FCS

Last week the Foothill Falcons launched into the world of eSports! Thanks to our generous sponsors who have funded this Annual Fund project our team of 18 students were able to start the inaugural season with new equipment, jerseys, and a palpable excitement!

For some of us, eSports is a fairly new concept. However the notion of teams competing against one another in computer and/or video games was established nearly twenty years ago. Now, you may be thinking, how is this different than my child playing video games at home? Or why would I, as a parent, support my child dedicating more hours to screen time/video games? Well eSports provides the team element of traditional sports paired with the problem-solving, tactical skill set that can be built with gaming. Research indicates that schools that offer an eSports program give a unique group of students something to be engaged in. “The results have led to increased attendance by 10% and GPAs by 1.7. With 70% of Americans playing video games, it makes sense that eSports can be a powerful tool in engaging your audience remotely or in-person. eSports clubs have had rapid growth and impact the kids that need it” (Generation eSports). Not to mention, that colleges around the country are now offering degrees in gaming!

You will find that eSports and traditional sports have quite a few things in common. When students join the eSports team, they are committing to a full spring season. During their season, students will attend multiple practices a week, don Falcon jerseys, and compete in games against other teams around the nation. Under the leadership of a team captain, team members must work together, all with different roles, to help achieve a win. Interpersonal relations will be crucial to building a successful team. Foothill’s eSports team is also held to the same academic and behavioral standards of the traditional sports teams.

It is the mission of the Foothill Falcons eSports team to connect competitive gamers with each other, providing a social avenue to discuss competitive gaming, fielding school teams in the Middle School eSports League (MSEL), and fostering personal skills through gaming such as critical/strategic thinking, problem-solving, reflection, communication, social skills, teamwork, and leadership all to the glory of God.

A FEW MORE Q&As
What is the structure of eSports? When is the first game? How can fans watch and cheer our players on? 

Students will meet three days a week to practice Pokemon Unite, Minecraft, and Rocket League. The first 30 minutes of practice is used to strategize and practice for their upcoming match. Then at 4pm, students queue up online to see who they will be matched against and begin scrimmaging. Once the students are matched against another school, the game and fun begins!

Our first game will be TODAY, Tuesday, February 15th. As of right now, fans are unable to watch online but we are working towards streaming the games online!

What are some of the other learning opportunities that eSports provides?

After this inaugural year, we are planning to add a broadcasting element. This will allow students to learn how to stream the games online, announce gaming events, and run an AV tech booth/soundboard.