esports have helped to provide another extracurricular activity for students to engage in, and it has a low barrier for participation. By Ben Lamparek, Hometown Current Dec. 28, 2024 9:56 am Iowa Valley’s Xavier Mulder, one of the members of the school’s Esports team, practices rocket league in an after school practice Dec. 18 in […]
esports have helped to provide another extracurricular activity for students to engage in, and it has a low barrier for participation.
Mario Kart and Smash Bros both require six players, while Rocket League only requires three.
“Esports has a low barrier of entry,“ Linnell said. ”It doesn’t cost any money, and, although most students do, a gaming system is not required at home.“
At the college level, esports has grown to a point where schools recruit and offer scholarship money, providing an opportunity for those passionate about it at the high school level.
“The board was super excited about it,” said Linnell.
It has certainly helped that the state of Iowa has its own governing body to help manage and communicate with all participating schools.
The Iowa High School esports Association was founded in 2019 and had its first full season in 2020-21.
The team started competition in the spring, but the idea came the previous fall.
After seeing a presentation on esports, Linnell thought this would be a great activity to add at the school.
Short for electronic sports, esports is competitive video gaming.
Competition in the spring was in Mario Kart, followed by Super Smash Bros in the fall. The current winter season is Rocket League.
Provides students with another extracurricular activity to participate in
After approval, signups were posted, and the Tigers competed in the spring season.
Iowa Valley has joined a growing number of high schools in the state of Iowa that has added an esports team.
Holst-Behrens is the school’s principal.
MARENGO — We’ve seen pickleball grow as a popular niche sport in adults, and the same can be said of esports for high school and college students.
The Tigers opened up their Rocket League season with a victory over Central Springs Dec. 10.
“We went last fall to the Iowa Technology and Education Connection conference,” Iowa Valley esports coach Ashton Linnell said.
“It’s been so good so far,” Linnell said on the first year of esports at the school.“ We have a total crew in total of about 10-12.”
Esports has provided another channel for students to engage and be in a group with others. An outlet to provide a feeling of belonging for those who are passionate about the sport.
The school has several gaming systems in the team’s practice room that is available for after school practice.
Enough school around the state compete to make multiple divisions for state competitions necessary, dividing competition by school size.
Competitions are also remote, limiting the expense of travel.
There are a few other competing games in these seasons, but these are the three that Iowa Valley has competed in as it completes its first calendar year of participation following the winter season.
Linnell shared a presentation with the school board in January, and the board was in full support.
As more and more schools have joined, it has had to continually adjust things, but Linnell said they have been at communicating and helping with any questions.
The winter Rocket League season will conclude with the State finals Feb. 26-28 at the Orpheum Theatre in Marshalltown.
“I texted Janet (Holst-Behrens) after saying we think we can do this,” Linnell said.
