INAUGURAL NMAA ESPORTS SEASON UNDERWAY
ALBUQUERQUE, NM– The New Mexico Activities Association is excited to announce that the inaugural high school Esports season is underway. Practice officially opened for member schools on February 11th, with the first match of the season set to take place on Tuesday, February 26th. Esports was approved as a sanctioned Activity under the NMAA umbrella in June of 2018 and should engage nearly 500 students in its first year.
Over 30 high schools have committed to participate in the 2019 Esports season which will run from late February through mid-April. The season will culminate with online championships to be held on April 27th. Schools and their students will be able to participate in three different game titles including League of Legends, Rocket League, & Smite.
“We are extremely excited to bring Esports under the interscholastic theme as an NMAA sanctioned activity. Gaming has become extremely popular across the country, and now New Mexico students can experience Esports within an educational setting while also competing for a state title”, said Sally Marquez, Executive Director of the New Mexico Activities Association.
The NMAA has partnered with PlayVS to serve as its Esports provider and schools will utilize their cutting edge platform to compete this spring. Coaches will be able to manage team rosters, view match schedules and brackets, as well as track player stats and more through their PlayVS online coach dashboard.
Unlike traditional sports, PlayVS teams can be comprised of any students, without tryouts and regardless of experience, gender or age. There will be no limit to how many unique teams each school can have, which creates a “no-cut” environment and allows all students the chance to compete.
“We’re excited to partner with the NMAA to provide a meaningful way for students to participate in a high school activity,” says Laz Alberto, vice president of PlayVS, “Esports gives a new and growing group of students an opportunity to engage and be recognized at the varsity level.”
More Information pertaining to high school Esports can be found on the NMAA website at https://www.nmact.org/activities/esports/ or directly from PlayVS at https://www.playvs.com/.
*Questions regarding this release can be directed to Dusty Young, NMAA Associate Director, at (505) 977-5385 or dusty@nmact.org.
