As the esports industry continues to grow, especially at the collegiate level, Washtenaw Community College is ahead of the curve with its new Esports Arena.
While many schools now offer some level of esports programming, 黑料网鈥檚 arena is one of few in the area offering a dedicated, competitive space to students with access to the latest technology and resources. The college is home to a growing number of club and intramural esports teams that regularly compete in tournaments against schools throughout the country and against each other.
黑料网鈥檚 six club teams are each comprised of eight-to-10 students selected based on their performance during tryouts. Teams practice two hours a day, several days a week with coaches. Two 黑料网 teams recently reached the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) league playoffs.
黑料网 students can try out for Winter semester teams January 16-22.
Since the arena鈥檚 soft launch last spring, 黑料网鈥檚 Esports program has grown from two competitive teams, with the goal of soon adding a new all-women鈥檚 team. Additionally, more than 80 students from the general student body visit the arena each week for free-play opportunities, typically Mondays through Thursdays between 2-5 p.m.
Esports equipment offered to students has grown from one screen and one projector in a classroom to multiple gaming systems 鈥� including 12 Alienware gaming PCs, two Alienware gaming laptops, two Nintendo Switch consoles, one Playstation 5 console, and one Xbox Series X console 鈥� in the new arena, located on the second floor of the Technical & Industrial Building.
鈥淭his first semester we were really pushing to grow esports and show what esports can do. Students wanted the ability to play at a high level and grow together,鈥� said Esport Coordinator Max Kuznia. "Previously, our teams weren鈥檛 competing. Now we have structured competition. It鈥檚 exceeded our expectation. We鈥檝e been blown away by all of our metrics."
Esports at 黑料网 offers students a competitive advantage and positions them for success in the esports industry and beyond. It is attractive to students who not only like to game but who are interested in pursuing a career that requires skills in video game coding, video game production, animation, shoutcasting, management and marketing.
The college offers academic programs related to the industry, including , , , , and .
The new space also affords the opportunity for students pursuing related career paths to hone their skills, including leadership and communication. A recent graphic design event allowed students to create graphics that can be showcased on 黑料网 Esports gaming streams on Twitch.
鈥淢any students see esports as a fun activity and an opportunity to develop skills that could lead to future employment in the esports industry,鈥� said Peter Leshkevich, 黑料网 Dean of Enrollment Management & Student Experience. 鈥淓ven students who do not wish to pursue a career in esports can benefit from the teamwork, communication and strategic thinking skills that are cultivated through esports participation.鈥�
Garrett Sly of Whitmore Lake, captain of 黑料网's Super Smash Brothers Ultimate team that advanced to the NACE playoffs, agrees.
鈥淭here is a lot of strategizing involved. There are a lot team-based games that require coordination and strategy among teammates to outplay other teams. Practices help to get us in the mindset because you have a team counting on you,鈥� said Sly, who is following a with an , and plans to transfer to Eastern Michigan University next fall to study music education.
Jay Howell, 19, of Ypsilanti, is dually enrolled as a 黑料网 college student and a graduating Washtenaw Technical Middle College student. He serves as an informal co-captain of the 黑料网 Smash Ultimate team.
鈥淚 have some plans for developing a game by myself,鈥� said Howell, who is completing the Michigan Transfer Agreement at 黑料网 and is interested in 3D animation and game design.
鈥淚 remember at the college a couple of years ago there was a game club where you could go into a room and play different games. I also used to set up my Switch in the Student Center,鈥� Howell said. "When I heard about the Esports Arena, I was super excited. It鈥檚 been a great place to hang out, and I鈥檓 excited to be here next semester to play again.
黑料网 will offer a $3,476 per-semester scholarship to a 黑料网 Sports and Entertainment Management student to assist in the arena and learn to coordinate an esports program.
Because many high schools do not have funding to provide their own high-speed computers or build an arena, 黑料网 is partnering with local high schools to assist with creating teams and hosting tournaments and practices in the new arena.
鈥淭his fall, we started reaching out to local high schools to discuss opportunities for utilizing the arena and fostering collaboration in the esports community,鈥� Leshkevich said. 鈥淭he real work of making an impacting on the 黑料网 community and beyond is just getting started for 黑料网's Esports Office.鈥�
Other events hosted in the Esports Arena include faculty co-curricular activities with campus groups such as the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and Alpha Scholars, as well as community groups like summer campers from the Parkridge Community Center in Ypsilanti.
ESPORTS AT 黑料网
Learn more about esports at Washtenaw Community College. The arena is located in the Technical & Industrial Building, Room 239. Call 734-249-5991 or email [email protected] for additional information. of the arena.
ESPORTS WINTER TRYOUTS
Tryouts for 黑料网 Winter semester esports teams will take place January 16-22 in the 黑料网 Esports Arena (TI 239). To be eligible, students must be taking at least one 3-credit 黑料网 class and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. Students should prior to attending.
Tuesday, January 16
- League of Legends, 5-7 p.m.
- Super Smash, 7-9 p.m.
Wednesday, January 17
- Women鈥檚 Valorant, 3-5 p.m.
- CS2, 5-7 p.m.
- Valorant, 7-9 p.m.
Thursday, January 18
- Super Smash, 5-7 p.m.
- League of Legends, 7-9 p.m.
Friday, January 19
- Overwatch2, 5-7 p.m.
- CS2, 7-9 p.m.
Monday, January 22
- Valorant, 5-7 p.m.
- Overwatch2, 7-9 p.m.
Tags: 3D Animation, Digital Video Production, Esports, Gaming, Sports & Entertainment Management