Esports is a new course offered across all FISD high school campuses. The class is an entry level CTE credit offered to all students in every grade. Esports provides students the opportunity to experience the growing Esports job industry.  

Each unit within the course breaks down the type of game students play. The student does background research on the assigned game before being able to play. The unit ends in gameplay and learning strategies needed to excel at the game.

“I’m most excited to actually allow the students to play video games in class,” Esports teacher Ryan Wilson said. “I think it’s a cool concept and it’s going to be pretty crazy to experience, but I’m excited to watch them play and see them grow in the games.” 

Apart from playing the game, students do everything from figuring out what the characters do to analyzing the strategies of the game and how to excel to different levels.

Senior Carly Torres has visited Esports tournaments which sparked her interest in the course. 

“It seemed really exciting, I got to meet a whole team…I got to meet some really popular players, got to watch them prepare and play. It was really exciting and thrilling and people make good money off of this too.” Torres said.

Senior Austin Mestemacher goes on to say that there is more to the course than just entertainment.

“It’s kind of cool that you get to play video games, but that’s not all this class is about,” Mestemacher said. “Like today it was just about learning about the different types of genres of video games, like first-person shooters, RPGs [Role playing games], [and] MMORPGs [Massively multiplayer online role-playing games].”

At the end of the year, students have the opportunity to compete against other schools in an Esports tournament. There is a limit to five people per school to compete in the tournament. Wilson explains that only the best players get to attend. 

 “I think it’s going to end up being great,” Wilson said. “I think our society and just our world is so technical-driven now, there’s so many avenues for success and money, so I think Esports is part of that innovation piece; thinking outside the box and allowing video games to be a source of income and a career in the long run.