Esports 101

What is Esports?

Esports takes video gaming to another level with organized competitive gameplay between two teams, governed by its own strict set of rules and guidelines. It demands critical thinking, communication, teamwork and creativity in order for students to succeed.

Today, esports is growing exponentially with over 400 million fans worldwide and regularly selling out arenas around the world. Currently, there are more than 200 colleges and universities offering almost tens of millions of dollars in scholarships. Establishing esports in high school enables students to do what they love and provides them with additional opportunities to earn recognition.

Benefits of Esports

Character Development

Students build character and develop discipline, self-esteem and sportsmanship through practice and gameplay.

Increase Participation

Esports are co-ed, inclusive, and engage students who might not otherwise participate in school athletics or activities.

STEM Engagement

Esports players are often interested in STEM classes and programs. A high percentage of collegiate esports players select STEM majors.

College Scholarships

More than 200 colleges and universities offer esports scholarships and are actively recruiting players for esports programs.

How does PlayVS work?

PlayVS IS THE OFFICIAL HIGH SCHOOL ESPORTS PLATFORM!

PlayVS provides a robust online platform that enables schools to easily build and manage teams, and check schedules all with real-time support.

PlayVS Parent Signup

League Structure

There will be two seasons each school year:

Fall - September to December
Spring - February to May

Matches are played on a weekly basis:

Mondays: Chess Solos, Hearthstone Solos, *Overwatch 2*
Tuesdays: *Fortnite: Zone Wars*, League of Legends
Wednesdays: *Valorant*
Thursdays: Rocket League, *Marvel Rivals*

*Game not affiliated with the NFHS Network and some state associations.*

PlayVS Overview

Season Structure

Each season is divided into 4 different phases:

Preseason: Consists of each team enrolled in the league competing in up to three official practice weeks. Results from preseason matches will not count towards Regular Season standings, but they do serve as a great way for coaches to get familiar with our platform and game day protocols for the upcoming season.
Regular Season: Following the Preseason, this phase consists of each team competing within a state or region in a season format against opponents within their league. Seasonal match formats between each team will be dependent on the esport title teams are participating in. Ranking in the league will be determined by each team's win-loss ratio. Wins and losses from each match will be added to each team’s regular season standings.
Playoffs: Takes place at the end of the Regular Season, and consists of the top 50% of teams in each league. Qualifying teams will compete in a single-elimination tournament until only two (2) teams remain. Playoff match formats between each team will be dependent on the esport title teams are participating in.
Finals: Consists of the top two teams from each league as decided by the results from Playoffs.

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