eSports IS COMING TO NEW MEXICO HIGH SCHOOLS
Recently, the New Mexico Activities Association held an eSports Workshop for schools interested in participating in the new activity. The response from schools considering eSports has been overwhelmingly positive.
Click the above video link to hear some of the reaction.
Here is some of the information about year one of eSports in the state of New Mexico.
eSports is one of the fastest growing sports in the world (as popular internationally as basketball and football). Esports tournaments take place all over the world with 100+ million of live & online viewers.
The academic benefit of eSports includes integration into the school community along with education-based participation. eSports requires large amounts of communication, collaboration and leadership.
General Guidelines
-Coach or other representative must be available during competitions
-Rosters are locked in 24 hours prior to matches
-Schools pay a fee of $50 per student
-No limit to the number of games a member can participate in (unless otherwise dictated by State Association rules)
What to Look for in a Coach
-Ability to motivate, organize and mediate
-Personal interest in technology and games
-Ample time to dedicate to leading the team
IT & Equipment
-Each student will need: one computer/laptop, one set of peripherals (monitor, mouse, keyboard, headset), one uniform/jersey for tournament competitions
Team Structure
-Coaches are appointed by school
-Teams are registered on Phoenix platform
-Team captains are assigned by coach or voting
-Each team has their own Discord channel for communication
Competition Process
-Coaches register team at beginning of semester
-Schedules released one week before beginning of season
-Every week, games will be played at 5:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays
(specific game instructions will be provided at a later date)
NMAA Schedule/Seasons
-Inaugural Season, Second Semester 2019 (February-March will be league play and the state tournament is scheduled for April)
Competition Management
-Provided to schools and players: standards, competition rulebook, registration and bracket management through Phoenix platform, prizes for winners
-Weekly competition streamed, commented on Twitch.tv, YouTube
-Exposure for students to future educational and career opportunities
Implementation for Schools
Once a school expresses interest, a coach/sponsor or IT representative will register the team on the Phoenix platform
-Phoenix eSports will respond with information packet including: standards required for competition, rules/regulations, competition schedule, contact information and follow up schedule
-Phoenix will initiate regular contact with coach/sponsor/or IT representative
-Phoenix will provide schedules and competitive information
If you have any further questions or are interested in participating, please contact NMAA Associate Director Dusty Young at Dusty@nmact.org
