Esports is short for electronic sports. Electronic sports are competitive electronic games of strategy that can be played individually or as a team. The versatility of game-play and game genre make esports one of the most versatile competitions in the world and also one of the most popular.

Current Happenings - The National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) and PlayVs have partnered in April to begin the statewide sanctioning of esports. Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Rhode Island and Texas have already sanctioned esports at the state level. Recently there was an adoption of esports at OSU, a construction of the largest esports arena in the nation at Tiffin University, and scholarship money available at 9 universities in the state of Ohio (Ashland $4,000, Tiffin $3,000) making now the right time to get the ball rolling for our students. There are millions in professional earnings available yearly and esports viewership is growing exponentially. In 2017, according to data from Nielsen and Rentrak, total cumulative viewership was as follows for major sports finals in 2017: The Super Bowl (124 million), League of Legends (58 million), The World Series (38 million), The NBA Finals (32 million), and the Stanley Cup Finals (11 million).

Benefits High School Esports Provides to Hilltop -We have found out using the following questionnaire gauging the interest of students who were interested in competing against other schools in an esports setting with school appropriate games rated teen and under.

High School Esports:

• Builds student relationships and confidence.

• Provides a safe & social place to play.

• Provides an outlet for students that aren’t interested in traditional sports to compete.

• Breaks down barriers between different groups of students.

• Encourages collaboration, communication, teamwork and build problem-solving skills.

• Prepares students for the increasingly digital world around them.

• Applies gaming lessons in real life, such as perseverance, teamwork and decision making.

• Encourage students to improve or maintain good grades so they can participate.

• Provides scholarship opportunities to numerous universities within Ohio.

• Stand out among other area schools for offering an esports program in regards to school choice.

• STEAM Opportunities - Streaming/Video Production, Coaching, Game Analysis, Web Design/Marketing, Shoutcasting, Graphic Design, Audio Engineering, Hardware/IT, Event Planning

EsportsOHIO High School League

EsportsOHIO Discord