Esports are multiple player video games in which people, often professional gamers, compete against one another. Teams enter formal competitions, usually involving spectators.

Some popular games played include League of Legends, Counter-Strike and StarCraft. Esports are becoming more popular within video game culture. There are gaming tournaments held worldwide.

Elizabethtown College is also exploring this trend. According to Athletic Director Chris Morgan, the College has an esports club on campus. Esports would expand on these student’s interests.

“Over a dozen students have shown interest in competing,” Morgan said.

Etown is planning to introduce esports in the 2018-2019 academic school year. The esports coach Matt Hamilton said the competitions will begin in January and end in late March. In terms of how the competitions are structured, there are teams of seven. According to Hamilton, the game is played five on five with two alternates.

The first competition students will compete in is the Landmark Conference being held in 2019. According to Vice President of Student Life Dr. Celestino Limas, League of Legends will be the game played. It is one of the more popular games out right now.

“Six of the eight Landmark Conference schools are participating in it,” Limas said.

The competition would be the first conference-wide esports tournament for a Division III athletic conference in the United States. Juniata is one of the colleges competing. Morgan said that the competition will be held mostly remotely with students staying at their own college.

“The nice thing about that is there will be no travel cost,” Hamilton said. The competition setting may also allow for spectators.

Limas said that the esports team will be under the Athletic Department, although there is a difference between traditional athletes and gaming athletes. Gamers will need different resources than traditional athletes.

For example, they will need updated technology and indoor space to practice. Myer Hall recently went through renovations. One of these renovations included a lounge featuring multiple TV screens.

According to Limas, gamers also face different substance abuse threats. While athletes may abuse steroids, gamers may abuse drugs that make them more alert.

So, it is important for the College to be aware of this and educate against drug use.

Another difference is the type of injuries they could receive. While traditional athletes vary in the locations of their injuries, gaming athletes’ injuries may be more localized in their wrists and hands. It may appear that gamers face fewer injuries due to their lack of motion when engaging in the sport, but this may not always be the case.

So, it is important for the College to be informed on the kind of injuries that could occur and how to treat them.

Despite these differences, both traditional and gaming athletes share one thing in common: their competitive nature.

In order to allow gamers to compete, these differences need to be addressed. Therefore, there are still more steps the College needs to take before esports can be fully introduced. Since the initiative is still new, there are multiple things to be discussed.

“I am looking forward to learning from the students and seeing where it goes,” Morgan said.

The aim of introducing esports is to provide opportunities for students who are passionate about gaming. According to Morgan, there is support from upper administration. There has also been talk among other institutions about the growing interest.

“It will be a good opportunity to work with like-minded institutions,” Morgan said.

Hamilton added that esports also provides a social aspect. Students already game personally, but now they can interact with others who share their interest. Even people who do not game can become spectators and be part of the experience.

Just like Etown, other colleges have esports programs. Some examples are Columbia College, Robert Morrison University in Chicago and University of California. Students become part of a competitive team like athletes. Some colleges, like the University of Utah, also offer scholarships.

As colleges continue to explore esports initiatives, one thing is certain: esports is becoming part of our culture.