As technology has inevitably progressed, electronic sports have made a legitimate case to be offered at schools around the country.

E-Sports, or Electronic Sports, is the official title of competitive video gaming, and it has been gaining popularity at an exponential rate for years now. It has gone from a small, relatively niche hobby to now being a genuine career path, and one that can bring in tons of money.

The first instance where the impact of gaming was showcased was during the phase of Fortnite’s unprecedented popularity two years ago.

“The morning of July 28, 2019, Kyle ‘Bugha’ Giersdorf was an average 16-year-old kid who was really good at Fortnite,” explained ESPN in an article. “By the time the sun set, he was a multimillionaire.”

That being said, playing video games are a very isolating act and can completely take a person away from any social action if they choose to use them like that. To combat this isolation from society, many schools around the country have tested out the idea of creating competitive E-Sports teams to represent their school.

There were many reasons for this, one of which is the goal of trying to decrease isolation in gamers and give them a space where they can feel comfortable around people they share similar interests with.

In an article about the advantages of E-Sports in schools, computer electronics company ViewSonic wrote, “When students can join a school E-Sports team, it becomes a social experience. Without a school E-Sports club, passionate gamers often feel left out of mainstream school social life. Organized E-Sports bring these kids into the fold. It can help them become accepted and respected members of their school community.”

This ability to represent your school in more ways than just on the field or court could potentially open a lot of new doors for students at schools where this is offered.

Many Williston students are very open to the idea of offering E-Sports on campus. One of these students is Sumner Kissane, a senior boarding student from Easthampton, Mass. Sumner believes  introducing E-Sports would be perfect for a time like now.

“It would be a great addition to Williston sports and all of NEPSAC because it’s accessible in the age of Covid and a competitive natured competition embraced by our generation.” he told The Willistonian.

Matthew Shields, a senior boarding student from Lee, Mass., agrees with Sumner and thinks it would be a great addition to the school. His preferred game, along with a very large population of Williston students, would be Rocket League, a vehicular soccer game that came on the scene in 2015.

“I think it would be a good addition to Williston as long as people are willing to join and somehow compete against other prep schools, giving the Williston community more options for afternoon activities,” he said.