by: Mason Gentry
Jack McLane is a student coordinator prospect who is working on developing an E–sports team at Parkland College. In an interview with him, it was made clear that things are moving slowly in that direction. Because of the strict guidelines and implications that go along with college athletics, McLane thinks that the team will start as a club before it gains traction as a competition sports team.
McLane said that, “The club isn’t actually an official parkland club yet. It doesn’t have the minimum amount of people to start one. We have a lot of people signed up but we’re still organizing mass email and evites.”
There are still several unanswered questions regarding which games will be played, where will practice be held and whose computers will be played. It is encouraged that interested students get involved with the program as soon as possible. Whether E–sports at Parkland will be an organized club, or a sport, is also still in question.
If it is an Esports club, “We couldn’t compete as the ‘Cobras’ because we’re not funded by the Athletic Department,” said McLane. There are both upsides and downsides in making the team a club.
For example, if the Parkland Esports team is a club then it will be run by students, who are likely more capable of understanding and experienced in competitive video games. In this case, the team would be more inclusive as anyone could join.
Deciding who competes in tournaments would depend on the skill level of each player and their cooperation on a team. But, unlike college level sports, anyone could join. In charge of their own team, students would also have more freedoms such as coaching each other and coordinating practices.
On the other side, if the E–sports team is a Parkland College sports team, then the goal of having such a team is satisfied. Under the Athletic Department, the team would have more funding, concrete schedules and the possibility of scholarships. This would draw in a new level of talent to Parkland.
It makes more sense for Parkland students to start an E-sports club first.
Though the University of Illinois is a much larger school, they are a great E–sports model to follow. They are a club, but their funding comes from winning tournaments. This allows them to act as a quasi-school-backed sports team.
“As a sport under the athletic department, students would try out and be selected. This scenario would be most beneficial to athletes who already have the skills and requirements to play at that level of competition”
They represent their school on the tournament stage but operate as a club on a day to day basis. McLane explained that the University of Illinois has a club with a roster of competing players and casual players. A casual is a person who enjoys playing video games, and may compete, but is not on the same level as a competing player. There is a large disparity between the two.
“The difference between someone who plays competitively and someone who is a professional esports player is unfathomable,” McLane said.
When anything is both popular and new, there will be surges of people jumping on board, both good and bad.
As a sport under the athletic department, students would try out and be selected. This scenario would be most beneficial to athletes who already have the skills and requirements to play at that level of competition. However, this route neglects untapped potential in students who may not make tryouts because of their current skill level.
If the E–sports team is a club, then this issue is avoided.
Starting with this model allows for something like a varsity and a junior varsity team in high school sports. The team could still win tournaments with the players that would have made tryouts but would not exclude players who have never had the chance to be on an organized E–sports team. Eventually, the team will be winning tournaments, making money and refining new talent.
E–sports may one day be an official Parkland sport. Until then, students who are interested in it need to get active now!
