Esports has gained the attention of many high schools around the world. Recently, Jonathan Alder has hopped on the train of adding esports to our school like others.

Esports is students playing competitive-level video games while working together and competing with other schools. The games they play at home they now can play at school. The students here at Alder will play games like Fortnite, Rocket League, and Valorant. More games are added as their popularity increases.

In the different games, students will either team up or play single and compete with other students from surrounding schools. While students play together, they will learn many new skills about the game and about working together. Without becoming a unit and working together, it would be a struggle to compete at this level. 

Alice says, “Esports is competitive video games where the kids just spend hours together while building on their skills and are teammates.“

Esports at Alder is led by the Information Technology Instructure teacher, Mr. Alice. Alice has had a passion for video games for many years. He wanted to bring the joy he has whilst playing to his students and others. Alice introduced esports to Jonathan Alder this year. He explored esports programs at other schools and proceeded to gain knowledge about esports to finally bring it to Alder. Alice brought esports to his students and expressed interest in the competition. Alice went to other schools and competitions to see firsthand what Esports was while competing. He wanted to create a team with this that would represent Alder well. 

Alice says, “All of the big upcoming and popular games these kids will be playing. Most importantly Valorant is the most popular out of Fortnite and Rocket League.”

Esports is just like any other sport, including the work that goes into it. The students make the game their own. 

Alice said: “The students are what make the sport fun and competitive. It is their experience. I am just the one who organizes it. The students are the leaders.”

At Alder, students will practice four times a week with their teams or by themselves to perfect their skills. These students will be competing for either the fall season, the winter season, or the spring season.