The Bucs’ Varsity Esports team is holding tryouts Aug. 28 and 29 for the upcoming season. Tryouts started earlier in the spring, but now students have one final opportunity to join in on the action.
Esports is a competition of video games that includes the games “League of Legends” and “Overwatch”. Both of these games participate in competitive multiplayer game play.
The season of play is divided between the two games, with “Overwatch” gameplay running from September to November, and “League of Legends” running from January into the spring semester.
“Overwatch” consists of two teams of six players, while “League of Legends” has two teams of five. Members of the Esports play for the opportunity of conference play against championship level competition.
Esports started out as small club in 2011, until September 2019, when a committee approved it to be a part of the Bucs’ Athletic Department.
“It is another activity to bring to student life,” said Head Coach Jeff Shell.
The season will be built as a tournament. Weekly games will be broadcast live in the D.P. Culp Student Center student area known as The Cave, while also being shown on Twitch TV.
With other athletics being canceled, this should give players a chance to join in on the new found addition to the athletics department.
“Players will be able to enrich their time at ETSU by building a community with others,” Shell said. “It brings opportunity to students but also brings competition as well.”
Students can visit the ETSU Esports web page to submit an application if interested. The requirements for participation in Esports are to be a current ETSU student, while also maintaining a minimum 2.5 GPA.
Players will be assessed based on their attitude and behavior, as well as their skills, by the director of Esports and the head coach.
