Two of my best memories from the previous school year are connected to a new activity offered through the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA): e-sports. One of my students, Will Ristau, competed in chess through e-sports and won the state championship! During the season he competed online, but at the state tournament in Aberdeen, he competed face-to-face with a traditional board. When I got to announce in class that he had won it all, his classmates broke out in applause and cheered.
Another student was a team member on 3-on-3 Rocket League, a video game that looks like sports cars playing soccer in a bowl-shaped stadium. This student, senior Austin Markman, was a key player on our varsity football team until he blew his knee out early in the season. In over 25 years of teaching high school, I’ve seen a lot of athletes' seasons end due to injury. For many, the grieving process is hard and long as an activity they’ve invested significant time and energy into for perhaps a decade ends abruptly without appropriate closure. My student decided to find something new to look forward to and compete in through e-sports.
Twice, I wandered up to the computer lab when his Rocket League team was battling another school online. Both times, I thought I’d quickly check it out but ended up grabbing a chair and cheering with each goal. Immediately, I understood the appeal of e-sports arenas. The energy, the strategy, and the excitement are as good as any other sport I’ve attended. His Rocket League team also went to the state tournament in Aberdeen and took home the third place trophy for that category.
E-sports in South Dakota include 7 categories or games. These games with last year’s state champion in parentheses include Chess (SF Roosevelt), League of Legends (SF Lincoln), Mario Kart (Dakota Valley), SO Mario Kart (Aberdeen), Minecraft (Dakota Valley), Rocket League (Dakota Valley), and Super Smash Bros Ultimate (RC Central). As entire e-sports teams, Tea Area took home the 4th place trophy; Aberdeen Central, 3rd; Roosevelt, 2nd; and Dakota Valley, 1st. This year’s season begins on November 10 and ends with the state tournament on February 13 and 14 in Aberdeen.
I see incredible value in diversifying our extracurricular activities so as many students as possible can experience the sense of belonging and responsibility that comes from being on a team. Many studies report that participation in extracurricular activities has a positive effect on social skills, attendance, academics, and overall wellbeing. A study by Mark Furda and Michael Shuleski found that students who participate in extracurricular activities generally have higher GPAs, a greater sense of belonging, and more appreciation for school than students who do not. Accordingly, I’m excited to welcome to SDPB’s Teacher Talk broadcast one of the folks who makes e-sports happen in South Dakota: Fenworks CEO Kaleb Dschaak.
