Plymouth High School in Indiana is launching its inaugural Esports initiative. This program, which has already been implemented at the junior high level, is now being extended to high school students to provide a space where they can socialize and engage with the world of online gaming.
The importance and popularity of Esports as a competitive sport is growing, particularly that it can potentially attract significant corporate sponsorship. According to an article by The Harvard International Review, high school students involved in Esports could access potential scholarship opportunities for college.
For instance, the University of California at Irvine provides between $1,000 to $6,000 annually through their Division I program, while Illinois Tech offers an annual scholarship of $5,000.
In the 2023-2024 academic year, a “club” team is planned to be formed at Plymouth High School under the Indiana Esports network. The school also aims to become a full member of this league by the following year.
Funds for new equipment and the hiring of two coaches from the school’s Information Technology department, Andrew Senff and Evan Johnson, have been provided through a grant.
In an interview with ABC57’s Gordy Young, Coach Andrew Senff discussed what an Esports team entails at the high school level.