Young students learn more than gaming skills at esports summer camps
July 07, 2020
Written by Jeffrey Pohorski | Photos by Craig Schreiner
Esports is more than fun and games at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
The UW-Whitewater Esports Club is hosting two weeklong virtual summer camps for middle and high school students. Both camps focus on the games Overwatch, League of Legends and Rocket League.
“Esports is not only about the competitive side of things, it’s so much more than that,” said Jacob Halfman, esports student director for the Center for Inclusive Transition, Education and Employment and an information technology major from Seymour.
During the weeklong camps, coaches and players teach competitors to become better esports athletes. Speakers lead discussions on strategy, improving gaming skills, team-building and more.
Camps are staffed by the UW-Whitewater Esports team and faculty including Nick Hwang, assistant professor of communication, and Jonathan Spike, coordinator of institutional technology. Spike is academic advisor to the esports club and supervises the eight camp counselors.
Campers play games in a closed digital environment — to monitor the content and community — where they play, practice and try out skills they are learning.
Players and audience react during WEX 2020, the Whitewater Esports EXpo and Smash Tournament at the University Center on the UW-Whitewater campus on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020.
Halfman says the core pillars of an esports education include how you work with a team and communicate in-game, leadership and developing healthy habits like stretching and managing emotions.
“That is what’s going to help you gain a scholarship to a university to play and learn,” he said. “Building up those pillars is so important, not just for the university environment but in the job market afterwards.”
Growth in this sector has been exponential. According to Newzoo, global esports revenues were $950.6 million in 2019, with a worldwide audience of 443 million.
UW-Whitewater is exploring opportunities to build academic programming around esports and provide spaces for gamers on campus to play and compete.
The esports gaming club competes in collegiate tournaments around the country. In February 2020, the club hosted their first WEX 2020, the Whitewater Esports Expo and Smash Tournament. More than 150 gamers came to campus to compete and watch.
For more information on esports at UW-Whitewater contact Nick Hwang at hwangn@uww.edu or 262-472-1725 or Jonathan Spike at spikej@uww.edu or 262-472-2838.