For those who have been to Owens lately and have noticed the red gaming chairs and multiple gaming screens: it not a prank. Winthrop University now has an Esports program, complete with a team. According to junior chemistry major Blaine Harvey, Esports is “competitive video games.” Esports is an increasingly popular activity that is quickly sweeping the nation. This year is Winthrop’s first year with an esports team, and the program’s coach is Josh Sides. The team practices in the computer lab in Owens, which is why it’s now off limits to students. When asked why someone would play video games competitively for a university, Harvey said there could be multiple reasons.
“That depends per person. [For] some it’s like a comfort thing. Others like competing. Personally, I enjoy competing and being in the atmosphere of competition and always trying to better myself, but I mean, you still learn other things in video games—life skills,” Harvey said. “I was already playing the game and pretty good. Then, colleges started getting esports. Now most colleges are already providing scholarships which will peak and spark anyone’s interest. To earn extra money while attending school to finish your degree but also if you’re at the top of the field and industry, it’s another way to get noticed kind of out in the sense, so you have a higher chance to [play professionally].”
Of course making money playing video games all day while still getting your degree sounds like it could be up anyone’s alley. So, how many other colleges are actually providing esports teams? Harvey said, “There’s tons of colleges with esports. The school I transferred from St. Andrews University [located in Laurinburg, North Carolina], Trident University located in [Cypress, California], and now I’m here at Winthrop University, so it’s a recurring theme that’s becoming popular and recognized. It’s almost becoming [as] big [as] regular sports like football and basketball.”
Winthrop’s Esports team plays “Overwatch” and “League of Legends,” but there are other video games that are played competitively, including “Fortnite,” “Counter Strike” and “Rocket League.”Many multiplayer video games could be played in an esports setting.
Winthrop’s team includes students who were recruited by Sides. According to Harvey, “We were all outsourced. [The team] came from St. Andrews, because we like [esports coach Josh Sides]. We kind of followed him because we like him because he’s a good coach. So everyone’s still getting their degrees but also able to focus on esports. Also pretty cool because with the rosters we have, we could get pretty far to win earnings for the tournaments and stuff. The second half of the semester is when your tournaments start, and it’s really important that we win. At the end if we win, we get an eight thousand dollar scholarship [for each player] from the earnings.”
There is a limit of how many players we can have as a team. “The limit depends on the game. For our game, they are only five people that can play, but our roster has six people. So for “Overwatch,” it’s six players. So [“Overwatch”] have no subs, whereas [“League of Legends”] has a sub. They could sub in if someone wasn’t playing that well. So for the extra player, we have in “League of Legends,” what happened was the coaching staff couldn’t decide who they wanted most, so they kept both. Both are on the team, but only one can start.”
For students who are interested in trying out for the esports team, “It’s a try out base if Winthrop students earn their spot, they could replace anyone [on the team]. At any time anyone can be replaced, so we have to stay on top of our game. It’s like a sport: if you’re not that good you’re gonna get benched by someone who is better. Anyone is allowed to [regardless of] race, gender, etc. As long as they are the best and can communicate and cooperate, they can take a spot,” Harvey said.
And for those just trying to find a printer on campus, the computer labs located in Dalton hall, Phelps, Thurmond, the third floor of Digs, the West Center and in Dacus Library are still available.
Photo: Tate Walden/ The Johnsonian
