The UHSAA announced the decision on Monday.
(Thibault Camus | AP) Full view of the League of Legends tournament final between Team G2 Esports and Team FunPlus Phoenix on Sunday, November 10, 2019 in Paris. Esports, competitive multiplayer video games, are recognized as an official sport in Utah high schools.
The Utah High School Activities Association on Monday added a new sport to the state, but students don't need to be athletic to participate.
The UHSAA Board of Directors unanimously approved high school esports, calling the decision “groundbreaking” and “an important milestone in the association's efforts to increase student participation opportunities.”
Esports (typically competitive multiplayer video games that may or may not be related to traditional sports) have become increasingly popular among young people due to the advent of the Internet and streaming websites such as Twitch and YouTube. I am. Popular titles include NBA 2K, FIFA, and Overwatch. People are becoming professional esports players and several tournaments are being held all over the world.
Utah plans to begin esports as a sanctioned sport in the 2025-26 school year, according to a news release. The season runs from January to April.
“We believe esports provides a unique avenue for student participation and competition, and has the potential to enrich the high school experience for a wide range of students,” UHSAA Executive Director Rob Cuff said in a statement. “
The UHSAA release did not say what games will be available to high school students or how many schools will participate in the first year. However, each school is already participating on a club basis.
Ken Garff Esports has 42 high schools participating in the network, including Alta, Bingham, Taylorsville, Roy, and Hurricane.
“We believe esports has the power to unite students in new and exciting ways and foster teamwork, strategic thinking and leadership skills,” Cuff said. “By incorporating esports as an official activity, we hope to provide our students with opportunities for growth and personal development both on and off the virtual battlefield.”
