How to Start A High School Esports Team

High school is synonymous with sports and festivities; Friday night football, basketball, track & field, pep rallies, and so much more.

However, these days, sports isn’t just about being physical. Video gaming has become more prevalent and has led to the creation of esports with over half of the esports world participants younger than 35.
It is a new and exciting industry and students should have the opportunity to explore it by participating in high school esports.

If there are students you know that are interested, here’s a quick guide on how to start a high school esports club.

Network in the Industry

The best thing about esports is not the games, but the community. Esports boasts one of the largest and fastest-growing communities in sports.
If you need support, we’d suggest you look into these organizations:

High School Esports League
PlayVS

They have comprehensive packages that will help you get started, learn how to properly run an esports club, and offer access to tournaments that may be going on in your area.

Barriers to Consider

Due to the fact that esports is so new in many parts of the country, most schools do not have the initial funding to start an esports club. Because of this, some schools require students to use their own equipment to play. However, there are other outside entities that offer grants and subsidies for the creation of an esports program.

The same thing goes for creating jerseys and patches. Esports are often team-based. Therefore, you’ll need a way to identify your teams at tournaments. At Awards America, we can make this happen for you. We can make patches and letters for letterman jackets that will boost awareness of the club and solidify team pride.

You may also want to consider ordering a plaque to celebrate the founding of your group. This goes a long way to legitimizing your club. Contact Awards America to speak one on one with us about your needs so we can custom-fit a plaque for you.

Host and Learn

Speaking of tournaments, building a successful club comes from learning as well. Try hosting small local tournaments for your team. It builds experience for them by participating, and it also builds experience for you on how to run the group effectively. It also allows you to see what works for you according to the laws and/or requirements that come from the professional esports scene.

Hosting does not have to be about tournaments only. You can do more relaxed and casual speed runs and raids. Diversifying will get your club used to playing multiple games, leading to more success in tournaments.

Join the High School Esports Craze

Sports are an important part of teenage development. It teaches young people camaraderie, discipline, perseverance, and determination. High school esports can do the same thing while giving students a means to play the favorite games they love.

Think about ordering banners and medals from Awards America to recognize their achievements. If you would like more information about how to custom order these and other recognition awards, contact us today.