To say that this school year has been different is the understatement of the century. With all the new COVID protocols, many extra-curricular programs have been altered, postponed or even cancelled. So, when the staff at HRH had to get creative on how to engage students, they did exactly that. Introducing eSports!
“eSports is where students compete against each other in virtual online games,” says Athletics Director Julie Rothwell. “We had a small, but very enthusiastic group of students who have stepped forward to form our first ever team, and we are very excited to see what they can do.”
Within the eSports, there are two separate leagues: Rocket League and League of Legends. Both are being offered through the PlayVs gaming league. The leagues will run for 8 weeks with the potential of playoffs after the regular season has concluded. HRH is participating in a trial run this year. “If things go well, we hope to offer this program again next year,” says Rothwell.
“School teams from all across Canada and United States compete against each other,” says Head Coach Carmen Lyon adding that HRH will play teams from across Alberta. “The teams are ranked so that they play against other teams of similar skill levels.”
The reason behind offering this program is to provide another great avenue for students to get involved in the school community and be part of a team. “So many students don’t have the opportunity to take part in extra-curricular activities right now,” says Rothwell. “On top of that, video games are very popular with teens. So, we decided to join these leagues to see what can happen.”
The eSports program helps to foster an environment that is both competitive and fun for beginners and veteran gamers. “These teams can help their skills in communication, teamwork, sportsmanship, and strategic thinking,” says Lyon. “I think this program is great because it gives students who may not be involved in traditional athletics a sense of belonging to a team and opens opportunities to students who may not have ever played games before to experience something new and develop new friendships.”
The first ever eSports team is made up of the following students: Jack Aclan, Angel Amillar, Evan Arndt, Anne Bernadette-Napoles, Raphael Jagorin, Kevin Keufler, Lexus Morano, Robert Napoles, Dylan Pardy, Brady Powers, Brian Trimble, Earl Trinidad, and Monica Villasor.
The teams practice and play after school in the computer lab. COVID protocols are followed and adjustments are made as the province continues to change and relax restrictions. The League of Legends group meets every Tuesday, while the Rocket League meets every Thursday.
So, with all this in mind, it looks like the HRH school community has another team to cheer for. The team has even created their own avatar logo. Be sure to look for it online and cheer on the eSports Rebels!