CANYON, Texas (KFDA) – Esports. Have you heard of it? Odds are, you will in the next few years. It’s a billion-dollar industry growing rapidly worldwide, and WT is getting ahead of the curve.
This fall, the university will begin offering scholarships for esports athletes on their eight varsity-level squads. Vasalit Souvanna is the president of Buff Gaming, and he knows WT is a great place for aspiring esports athletes.
“If they’re interested in getting better and trying to compete as a team, I think here is a good facility to come in and try out and see if you make the team,” Souvanna said.
WT also hired a head coach for the program, Levi Zemanuel. He emphasizes that it’s not so different from other sports, anyone can be a part of the community, bond with their teammates, and build friendships with other students on campus who enjoy gaming with them.
“You don’t have to know how to play a game to enjoy it,” Zemanuel said. “I think sometimes when you have a group of friends gaming together, it actually is a bonding moment. I’ve actually done some one on ones with students that are in our leadership side while we were gaming.”
With top-of-the-line Alienware equipment – the space is prepared Coach Zemanuel has high hopes for the program and how it will connect students in the future.
“I would like to see this grow to be a very large program that has increased scholarship amounts,” Zemanuel said. “We can increase the quality and the numbers overall of student participation, I think that’s going to translate positively into the students lives.”
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