Simplification: South Dakota's first esports state tournament will be held this weekend, making it a fully sanctioned sport starting in the fall. Sioux Falls Simplified checked out what's happening locally in this emerging sport.
why is it important
- E-sports are video games played competitively – often has an audience – and has become a billion-dollar industry globally.
- While the global tournament can rival the Super Bowl in terms of viewership, demand for esports at the high school level is also growing.South Dakota is High School Esports Pilot Program This year, 20 schools are among those with plans to fully sanction the sport next school year.
- In Sioux Falls, The high school esports team has 20 students, and coach Jonathan Hallin said his team works together just like kids in other sports.
“Don't think of soccer as just a stupid game. It's something that kids put a lot of time and effort into and can do for the rest of their lives,” Hareen said. “I think that’s what esports can really be for a lot of kids.”
How does esports work?
If there is competitive multiplayer video games; It's entirely possible that there will be some kind of esports league.
- Some of the most popular esports games include League of Legends, Valorant, Fortnite, and Mario Kart.
For the Sioux Falls team, Students primarily play League of Legends, a tower defense game where players work together to defend their home base, or Rocket League, which is basically a soccer-like game with cars.
- typical habits A recap of the final practice is included, and students discuss the strengths and weaknesses of past games and ways to improve communication in the future.
- The students then split into teams and practice their games.
A new esports team is also available for Sioux Falls kids. New options for extracurricular activities, Including people who probably wouldn't have had the experience to be part of the team otherwise.
“It's really great to have moments like this and see us grow as a community,” Hareen said.
Hareen knows that. There may be prejudice against children playing video games Others say that games are bad for children, but for him, moderation and teamwork are important.
“You can't have football players or basketball players practice all night,” he says. “I'm not guaranteeing that kids will only play Fortnite all night… but I think we should stop blaming video games so much.”
Please tell me more about the tournament
160+ students Four championship titles are expected to be contested this weekend at Brookings.
- The event is free and open to the public and features games such as Super Smash Bros., League of Legends, Rocket League, and Chess.
For tournament sponsor SDN Communications, supporting esports is a natural move as an internet service provider company, said Ryan Dutton, vice president of sales and marketing.
- There is also Elements of workforce development To increase the number of children participating in esports.
“Kids who are interested in esports are showing an insight into technology and what lies beyond,” Dutton said. “And they can be potential talent for our organization in the future.”
Click here for details and tournament schedule.
