What are esports? ECU’s director of esports explains

What are Esports?

Esports is competitive gaming that is now being embraced by colleges and universities around the country.

At East Central University in Ada, Cody Soden is the university’s Director of Esports.

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Soden describes esports as the opposite of traditional sports. Where traditional sports is physical, esports is electronic, with the entire competition taking place online.

How does it work?

College esports works a lot like traditional sports. Soden says they hold tryouts, and there is a formal recruiting process as well.

However, esports are not overseen by the NCAA, so the rules governing the sport are different.

Esports coaches identify recruits in high school, follow them through their journey, and ultimately have the option of offering them college scholarships.

Who are the people ECU recruits?

Soden says traditional sports often target highly athletic students, who, in addition to physical prowess, often stand out from the crowd.

However, Soden says he’s looking for introverts and gamers who are often not sought after for scholarships.

Soden says his approach creates a unique recruiting opportunity for students to get scholarships who would otherwise be overlooked.