Bethel’s brand new esports team electrifies in a dominant first outing

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Several esports teams prepare for upcoming match.

Everyday after school in Room 403, laughter fills the courtroom as Bethel’s very own esports teams practice. Created this year, the esports teams surpassed even the players’ own expectations, securing top ten finishes in the state tournaments. 

What is esports?  It is a relatively new field within the sports world, but it is attracting a lot of attention. Millions of fans worldwide tune in to see their favorite professionals compete with each other,  playing video games such as CS:GO, Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Overwatch. 

Though popular internationally, it took a few years for esports to catch on at the high school level. It was not until 2018 that the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) recognized esports as an official sport.

Five years later, history teachers Mr. True and Mr. Lelesch decided to sponsor and run Bethel’s very own esports team. When they hosted tryouts, several dozen students showed up to prove their gaming mettle. After tryouts, the student players formed teams.

Even though high school students can now play esports, they cannot play any games they want. The VHSL league sticks with games that do not feature any blood or gore. Bethel players split off into teams playing the most popular officially sanctioned games. 

“All of them include Smash Bros, Rocket League, Overwatch, and NBA2K,” Noah Castillo, a BHS Esports player, stated. 

To practice, players meet up in Room 403 before and after school during the official season. They train to see who’s the best and how team performance can be improved. During the season, each team goes up against teams from other schools in virtual tournament-style meets. 

“It’s all a team effort,” LaMont Marshall, a Bethel player, stated. “No one thinks more or less of each other…we all want to succeed and try to make esports more popular in Virginia.”

According to Bethel’s players, esports is great for students who aren’t great or feel comfortable in regular sports. It requires coordination, but is not as physically strenuous as more traditional sports. 

“Moving your fingers really fast is a lot easier than running,” player Tyler Bender stated.

Additionally, esports allows them to work in teams and problem solve to beat another group of players while meeting new people. 

“I met some pretty cool people,” player Sean Hill observed, adding “I’ll say [being on the team is] a 10 out of 10 experience.”

It opens up a new door for a potential future for students who want to pursue careers as professional esports players. 

“I always wanted to get into competitive gaming but I didn’t have a push to take me there,” Hill explained.  “When I saw the school doing it [esports], I saw it as an opportunity…”

Many players believe esports has the potential to boost Bethel’s reputation and culture. 

“We …want more people to be aware of this, so more people can support it [esports],” Eric Gilchrist, one player, shared. “If we get more equipment, [there will be] better recognition for the school.”

One thing Bethel players are actively trying to change is the lack of gender diversity within esports. Esports is and always has been a mostly male dominated sport, and women do have a hard time in the esports community, facing sexism and, if of a different complexion, racism. To change that, Bethel players try to be welcoming and open-minded. 

“They [women] usually get interested in gaming late,” one player shared, adding, “…at a young age, girls are taught to focus on school and traditional sports.” 

To see the success of the Bethel esports team, one need only to look at their rankings in their final meet of the year: the state tournament. At this event, Bethel secured a 7th place finish in Mario Kart and a 9th place finish in Overwatch. 

Although the esports season is over, the players are already looking to the future, to next year’s season. For players, esports is not just about competing, but building a community full of hard working people who are close and connected. 

“We really work together,” player Cameron Winfield observed. “Sometimes we joke around, but we really get along.”