Esports will have room to thrive at new high schools: 'It's not just about the games'
Esports will have a place to thrive and top-notch equipment for players at the new high schools opening in August in Wichita Falls ISD.
Competitive gaming has been growing in popularity at the school and college level with teams competing for championships across the country.
“We have some great esports teams at two of our high schools currently, and one of the concerns with the new schools was that there was no specific esports lab built," Curtis Shahan said at a recent School Board meeting.
Shahan came up with the idea of buying esports-rated equipment — which also works well for computer-aided design programs.
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During the day, students will use the desktop computers for career and technical education courses, and journalism courses. After school, esports players can build their skills in teamwork, leadership and other crucial areas.
“It's not just about the games," Shahan said. "It's about learning how to play on the team. It's about being involved in your school. Over 90 percent of the kids that participate in esports are not in any other secondary activities at our high schools.”
Ninety-four Gravity Gaming Apollo desktop computers by Bytespeed will be split equally between Wichita Falls Memorial High School and Wichita Falls Legacy High School. They will be placed in designated computer labs.
“I’ve chosen a lab at each campus that holds 30 units in that lab," he said. “It's a tiered lab much like you have in a college or something, . . . and then we will also have 17 or 19 units."
Shahan said esports is a great way to engage kids and make them excited about being a Memorial Maverick or a Legacy Leopard through an activity that ties in with the UIL.
“They have to keep their grades up. So it's a great incentive," he said. “There's scholarship opportunities available at almost every college now. It's a been a great program for ... this district.”
Vanta, a youth esports development platform, was announced in 2022 as UIL's official esports sponsor.
Trustees unanimously approved the purchase of the computers for $155,100 at a Dec. 11 meeting. Budgeted funds of about $45,392 and money from an IP address sale, $109,708, will pick up the tab for the computers.
“It is an amazing opportunity for these kiddos and an amazing opportunity for us to be able to have this and offer it," At-large Trustee Sandy Camp said during the meeting.
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Dr. Donny Lee, WFISD superintendent, said he and others toured Prosper ISD in early December and saw the district's esports labs.
“They got brand new ones, and as matter of fact, they have these exact Gravity Gaming machines," Lee said. “You couldn't even get in the labs. They were just packed, shoulder to shoulder."
Trish Choate, enterprise watchdog reporter for the Times Record News, covers education, courts, breaking news and more. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Read her recent work here. Her X handle is @Trishapedia.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Esports will be on offer at Memorial, Legacy high schools. Front Headline *
