On your marks, get set, click
share
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — Long after the final bell of the day rings at Cherry Creek High School, dozens of students strategize and communicate between headsets and screens as they compete against students in other schools across the state.
Their competitors aren’t in an arena or on a field — they’re online.
Since the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) sanctioned esports — competitive video gaming — as an official activity in 2022, it has grown tremendously.
Cherry Creek High School, which formed its esports club in 2018, quickly rose to dominate the playing field, winning two state titles in Rocket League (2022) and League of Legends (2023).
“The formalizing of [esports] really has helped change what happens on campuses because now, everybody can represent,” said Rashaan Davis, assistant commissioner of CHSAA.
Esports players and teams compete against one another in tournaments, the same as other high school athletes. Like other sports, players can try out for junior varsity and varsity for specific video games like Rocket League, an online vehicular soccer game.
From 2016 to 2020, esports almost doubled in viewership, from 270 million people watching to 495 million.
Alexandra Bak, head coach of the esports team at Cherry Creek High School, said that students first approached her about the idea of a club when they found out she played League of Legends, a multiplayer online battle arena video game.
“Esports has grown so much in the seven years that I've been doing it,” said Bak. “It went from just a small group of students that was just doing it as a club, to all of a sudden, all of these teams that are competing against other high schools from all over Colorado.”
Today, the club has almost 100 competing members, and a community of more than 200 players, including alumni and more casual players.
Players in the club compete in all types of video games from Mario Kart to Rocket League. The different games compare to specialized events in track and field such as the 4x100 relay and the long jump. Players can specialize and train in Mario Kart while others can excel at League of Legends, for example. Each game has different rules and test different skills.
“Anybody who has watched these kids play these games can really attest to how skilled they are. This is not casual gaming. These kids are playing at a level of skill that's attained by very few,” said Bak.
While practice for esports doesn’t include weightlifting or aerobic conditioning, players still put in hours of practice honing specific move sets, learning the arena and coming up with strategic plays to outsmart other teams.
Zury Amkie, captain of the League of Legends team, said he’s seen players with a lot of skill, but that if they can’t be a team player, they won’t be on the team.
“Esports is the same way as competitive sports like that. It's the same kind of teamwork, it's the same social skills that you need,” Amkie said.
Amkie lifts weights and swims but sees esports as another extension of himself - separate from competitive sports.
“I don't think esports is a sport because it's not physical,” Amkie said.
Students meet after school three times a week for up to two hours. Many club members spend time playing the game outside of practice.
“I would love to be a pro for esports,” said Armand Verreire, a varsity Rocket League player.
“My parents want me to be able to do other things and sports, but it's my dream. I want to be a pro player, but it's not very easy,” Verriere said.
Out of the 132 million active monthly players that play League of Legends in 2024, only 2,045 are professional players, coaches or substitutes.
However, not everyone in a video game’s player base aims to be a professional.
Many also see the activity as a way to bond with their friends and find a place to feel at home, all while getting to represent their school.
Students welcome their friends to watch as they practice and compete with one another.
Club president Liberty Mack grew up playing video games with her family and now is able to be a role model that others can look up to in the club.
“I've been in several clubs, but this is the most welcoming to what I love,” said Mack. “This is just a way for me to be able to express myself a little bit further without judgment because we're all so similar here.”
Bak said a lot of the students have never been in a setting where they can have in-person interactions with people who have similar interests as them.
“I really do believe that [esports] helps these kids learn how to express themselves. It helps these kids learn how to be a part of a team. And that's not something that they've all had before this,” said Bak.
Support for esports has also changed throughout the years. At the start of the program, Bak said that all of the club’s gaming gear could fit in one cardboard box.
Through grants, donations by parents and fundraising, the students can now compete with computers and gaming consoles like the Nintendo Switch. Bak says that all the equipment can fill up two technology carts now.
With the activity’s growth, many different schools and districts are figuring out ways to have esports in their schools as well.
“Do we give our coaches a stipend? What space do we carve out in our buildings? How do we make this happen?” said Davis. “We're just seeing that natural arc of growth of [questions] happening while kids' interests are still at an absolute high.”
This year, CHSAA has added Splatoon 3 and Mario Kart as part of the official rotation of games that students can compete in, ushering new players into the activity.
Cherry Creek is looking to repeat a championship title this year and continue to add different state titles to their program.
For Bak, however, the esports program is not as much about winning as it is about fostering a community.
“But really it comes down to the kids, their passion, their dedication, their joy, their love for what they do. That's really what makes this program great,” she said.
Students will compete in person for the fall state championship December 10 at Localhost in Lakewood.