SCHENECTADY — It didn’t take long for a mass of Schenectady High School students to squeeze their way into the room they’ve been waiting two years to enter.
Following a brief ribbon cutting ceremony last week, around two dozen students rushed into the school’s new esports facility, some two at a time. Inside, their eyes lit up with excitement as they scrambled to grab a spot at one of 10 PC terminals set up in the middle of the room.
Once seated, the students began playing virtual chess, Minecraft and Rocket League, a soccer-like game where players must navigate a rocket-powered car through various obstacles to score points.
“It’s awesome that it finally managed to get here,” said Jackson Taylor, a high school senior and lifelong video game fan who started playing competitively outside of school in the last two years.
Taylor has been looking forward to the program’s launch since the idea was first mentioned in early 2020. He’s planning to major in computer science when he goes to college in the fall and esports aligns with his interest.
“It just flows together,” he said.
Esports have exploded in popularity in recent years, with some online tournaments attracting millions of viewers worldwide and cash prizes large enough to garner jealousy from some lottery winners.
An esports tournament held this past weekend in Albany, HV Gamer Con, attracted scores of participants and awarded thousands in prizes.
Esports programs have cropped up in school districts and colleges throughout the region in recent years, including at Mohonasen Central School District, the University at Albany and the College of Saint Rose.
But the programs are rooted in more than the growing popularity of video games.
In Schenectady, school officials are hoping to provide students with an inclusive way to participate in team-building activities and spark interest in a number of career paths associated with gaming, including computer programming, video game design, content creation and even broadcasting and coaching, among other options.
“I’m excited for you guys because gaming has become more than gaming,” said High School Principal Dennis Green. “Gaming has become a career now, and there are so many different careers.”
Plans for the program can be traced back to early 2020, when Andrew Yauchler, the district’s technology integration media specialist, witnessed a tournament hosted by Gaming Insomniacs, a Schenectady-based company specializing in game development and esports, and brought the idea back to school administrators.
The pandemic hit soon after, forcing students out of the classroom and delaying the program for more than a year.
Despite the setbacks, Yauchler, who now oversees the program, continued to solicit input from students through a series of virtual meetings in the hopes of eventually launching the program when in-person instruction resumed.
“I had 85 kids join me during their lunch break, their one break in the day,” he said. “As soon as you see that, you know the program’s going to thrive.”
More than 120 students have expressed interest in participating in the program, which Yauchler said will soon grow to include Xbox and Nintendo Switch consoles. The hope is to begin scrimmaging with neighboring schools in the coming weeks and launch a competitive team in the fall.
It’s still unclear how all those interested will be able to compete, but Yauchler said details will be ironed out as the program grows. He also noted that some students have the ability to participate in the program from home, which will help free up space for students to participate.
Carlos Cotto, the district’s assistant superintendent for innovation, said the district is all in on the program, which he hopes will get more students interested in schools and provide an incentive for students to come to class.
The program, he said, will be student driven.
“Ultimately as a district, as we look at innovation, equity and engagement, it’s truly finding what is it that excites our students and whatever that may be, how do we bring that to them,” he said.
Elsewhere, senior Devin Decker sees esports as a path towards a higher education.
Decker has been participating in esports for the past three years and has garnered a reputation among the gaming community. Several collegiate programs have reached out to him asking if he would be interested in joining their teams after he graduates later this year.
He’s hoping to eventually secure a scholarship to help cover his tuition as he pursues a degree in computer science.
“I’m planning on getting into this and hopefully, later on in the year, trying to apply for some scholarships,” Decker said. “This just opened up. Hopefully we’ll be able to get to the point where scholarships will be applicable.”
Contact reporter Chad Arnold at: 518-410-5117 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @ChadGArnold.
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Categories: News, Schenectady, Schenectady County
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