VIDEO GAMING IS NOT LIKE IT USED TO BE. IT HAS BECOME A MULTIBILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY. THE TECHNOLOGY IS BEING USED IN MEDICINE, THE MILITARY AND MORE. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, SO ARE PARENTS. AND THEIR KIDS. ONCE THEY’RE LOGGED IN, IT’S TIME TO PLAY. THERE IS PRESSURE BACK TO BACK, BACK TO BACK STRATEGY AND PLENTY OF EXCITEMENT. THIS IS XP LEAGUE ASHEVILLE. THERE ARE MORE THAN 30 LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND SO WHEN WE COMPETE AND HAVE OUR MATCHES, THAT’S WHO WE’RE PLAYING WITH. AND AGAINST. MEET ALEX JERRICK. THIS IS REALLY HOW I GOT INTO COMPETITIVE GAMING. LEARNING HOW TO COMMUNICATE CLEARLY. I’M GOING WITH CO. IT’S KIND OF JUST A COMMUNITY ADAPT IN THE MOMENT. GOOD OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN YOU NORMALLY WOULD HANDLE. THE WINS. AND THE LOSSES ARE ALL THESE ARE SKILLS THAT MATTER IN THE REAL WORLD. TURNING THE BIG WILD WEST OF THE INTERNET INTO A PLAYGROUND THAT HAS A FENCE AROUND IT, AND COACHES TO SUPERVISE AND RULES AND EXPECTATIONS. SO REALLY, IT’S NO DIFFERENT FROM THEM BEING ON A FOOTBALL TEAM OR A BASKETBALL TEAM. YOU MAKE A GOOD MOVE AND YOU GO, OH YEAH, YOU KNOW, AND THEY ALL CHEER TOGETHER AND IT’S THE SKILLS LEARNED HERE IN GAME THAT THESE GAMERS ARE USING IN THE REAL WORLD OUTSIDE AS WELL. MORE THAN 200 COLLEGES HAVE VARSITY SPORTS PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ONE THAT ARE RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGIATE ESPORTS. ALEX WANTS TO BE A GAME DESIGNER. THERE’S AN INCREASING AMOUNT OF ESPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS. THE SCHOOL THAT I WANT TO GO TO ACTUALLY HAS SOME. SO IN A WAY, THIS IS HOMEWORK. LEARNING LIFE LESSONS. EVEN AFTER THE GAME IS OVER, NIGEL ROBERTSON WYFF NEWS FOUR GREENVILLE. NOT BAD FOR HOMEWORK, RIGHT? THAT’S SO COOL. BENEDICT COLLEGE, CONVERSE, MORRIS COLLEGE, AND WINTHROP ARE THE FOUR COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT HAVE ESPORTS PROGRAMS RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGIATE ESPORTS. THERE ARE TWO LEAGUES IN OUR AREA, ONE IN ASHEVILLE AND ONE IN GREENVILLE. FO
Gamers find structure and scholarship opportunities in esports
Video gaming is not like it used to be. It has transformed into a multi-billion dollar industry, with its technology now being used in various fields, prompting colleges, universities, parents, and children to take notice. Cheryl Chambers owns XP League Asheville and XP League Greenville. XP League is a place for gamers to train, advance, and win across a variety of esports games with a team you can call your own. There are more than 30 locations across the country. Alex Gerac, a student, said, “This is really how I got into competitive gaming.” He emphasized the importance of learning to communicate clearly, adapt in the moment, and handle both wins and losses.The skills developed in esports are likened to those learned in traditional sports teams. “Turning the big wild west of the internet, into a playground that has a fence around it and coaches to supervise… and rules and expectations,” Chambers said. It is not different from being on a football or basketball team, as players cheer together after a good move.More than 200 colleges have varsity esports programs recognized by the National Association of Collegiate Esports. Alex Gerac aspires to be a game designer and noted, “There is an increasing amount of esports scholarships… and the school that I want to go to actually has some.” For him, participating in esports is akin to doing homework, as it involves learning life lessons even after the game is over.In South Carolina, Benedict College, Converse, Morris College, and Winthrop are among the institutions with recognized esports programs.
Video gaming is not like it used to be. It has transformed into a multi-billion dollar industry, with its technology now being used in various fields, prompting colleges, universities, parents, and children to take notice.
Cheryl Chambers owns XP League Asheville and XP League Greenville. XP League is a place for gamers to train, advance, and win across a variety of esports games with a team you can call your own. There are more than 30 locations across the country.
Alex Gerac, a student, said, “This is really how I got into competitive gaming.” He emphasized the importance of learning to communicate clearly, adapt in the moment, and handle both wins and losses.
The skills developed in esports are likened to those learned in traditional sports teams. “Turning the big wild west of the internet, into a playground that has a fence around it and coaches to supervise… and rules and expectations,” Chambers said. It is not different from being on a football or basketball team, as players cheer together after a good move.
More than 200 colleges have varsity esports programs recognized by the National Association of Collegiate Esports. Alex Gerac aspires to be a game designer and noted, “There is an increasing amount of esports scholarships… and the school that I want to go to actually has some.” For him, participating in esports is akin to doing homework, as it involves learning life lessons even after the game is over.
In South Carolina, Benedict College, Converse, Morris College, and Winthrop are among the institutions with recognized esports programs.