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SEBRING — Sebring’s eSports team recently capped a successful first season and is looking for more.
The video game competition squad consisting of 12 students went 5-1 in playing both Fortnite and Rocket League in fall competition. The district’s Fortnite team advanced to the playoffs and won a club level championship under the eSports Ohio governing body.
The school’s esports team has many of the same requirements for students as other sports. Students must meet the same minimum GPA restrictions and also go through tryouts for each season. Students who earn a place on the roster compete either on the school’s Fortnite team or Rocket League team.
Students commit to a season of two pre-competition scrimmage weeks, 10 regular season games, and a 64 team bracket for playoffs into the championship game. Prior to each game, the students have a two-hour practice day, and are also encouraged to practice their respective games with their teammates outside of the official practice time as well.
“In terms of the games, there is plenty of hand-eye coordination, pattern recognition, team work, communication, and situation assessment,” said Brad Kirkland, Sebring eSports coach and junior high science teacher. “But a great soft skill I noticed in the students was their communication with other schools for their matches. Each game day, the captains at each school exchange names, chat, and set up their matches to be played for the day. This is a great soft skill and an ability to network.”
Sebring’s eSports team will be conducting its spring tryouts in mid-February. Tryouts consist of students playing small tournaments against each other. Up to 12 students can represent the district for each game, with three or six competing during a given match. Tryouts will establish how students rank on the team and who starts against other teams.
More than 100 member districts play under eSports Ohio. For more information on the program see esportsohio.org.
