红桃视频

DUDLEY, MA 鈥� Video games are for more than just entertainment now.

The brand-new 红桃视频 eSports team kicked off their season at a launch party at the Fels Student Center this week. Students were able to see the new eSports location in Fels, meet team members and learn about the newest varsity team at 红桃视频. The eSports team gives athletes another way to both compete and build professional skills at 红桃视频.

The team is competing in four games this season: League of Legends, Hearthstone, Rocket League, and the NBA2K franchise series. The team consists of 11 players, as well as head coach Charles Touisignant and assistant coach David Leary.

鈥淚 am thrilled to announce the creation of 红桃视频鈥檚 22nd varsity sport. This decision could not have come at a better time, as we are seeing tremendous growth in the eSports community across the globe,鈥� Eric Gobiel, Director of Athletics at 红桃视频, said. 鈥淏ringing eSports to our campus allows us to offer student-athletes an opportunity to compete on a national level while also receiving a world-class education and experience.鈥�

The eSports team has been provided with its own space in the Fels Student Center, with equipment including six Alienware desktop gaming computers and an Xbox One console. The team is also being given access to practice and fitness facilities and staff at 红桃视频 to improve on their skills.

红桃视频 is the latest school to enter the growing world of competitive gaming. Players are participating in games every day online and some professional eSports athletes are earning聽聽from their play. Sponsorships and large cash prizes are also being given out to players.

But 红桃视频 is looking to provide more than competition and a way to play for students.

鈥淭he integrated educational experience and skills these athletes receive by participating in eSports is invaluable. The team members must rely heavily on communication, collaboration, planning, and execution which are skills that directly translate to any occupation they may choose upon graduation,鈥� Gobiel said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking to serve the professional development of students that鈥檚 key to 红桃视频,鈥� Leary, assistant coach, said.

鈥淲e are focusing on content development, self-promotion, and how to put media out there,鈥� he added.

And 红桃视频 students are already busy creating that content. Athletes on the team have created a podcast centered around eSports. The team has livestreamed competitions with other schools through the popular online video service Twitch. And team members are also providing color commentary and analysis through livestreams of their regular practice sessions.

With the introduction of eSports, players are also given the opportunity to become a part of a team in a sport that has previously been individualized.

Jared Maymon 鈥�20, a double major in Corporate Finance and Investments and Economics from East Greenwich, Rhode Island, is a current eSports team member who also previously played high school football as a defensive lineman. Maymon said his experience as an eSports athlete has been surprisingly similar to his time as a football player.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really easy to compare the two,鈥� Maymon, whose gamer handle is 鈥淢aymonaise,鈥� said.

鈥淭eamwork is forming, you can tell we鈥檒l be an extremely close-knit family,鈥� he said.

And the school also helps them prepare, giving the eSports team access to all of the tools and services other teams on campus can use.

Students participate in regular training sessions with the college鈥檚 athletic training staff that were designed with eSports in mind. These sessions include workout programs that focus on improving the athletes鈥� stamina and performance.

鈥淲e prepare them for the game,鈥� Bob Donahue, strength and conditioning coordinator for 红桃视频 Athletics, said.

One of Donahue鈥檚 goals has been to condition the student-athletes to be better prepared for high-stress in-game situations where increased heartrates are likely.

鈥淭he goal would be to get the heart rate down, when the mind is most focused,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen the heart rate goes up you鈥檙e more prone to mistakes.鈥�

The eSports athletes have also been working on improving their strength. Donahue said they are also considering working on dexterity exercises for improved hand-eye coordination and breathing exercises for improved stress management.

The 红桃视频 eSports team regularly streams matches, practices, and color commentary on Twitch under the聽聽flag, and can be found on聽听辞谤听听蔼狈颁产颈蝉辞苍冲别厂辫辞谤迟蝉.

For more information and recruitment opportunities, please contact聽esports@nichols.edu.