Great Bay scoring some online points with their esports program

(YSCC) - As Cyber Monday arrives, people all across the U.S. are jumping on the gaming bandwagon. In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Great Bay Community College has already been on the gaming craze with its evolving esports program.

For those unfamiliar with esports, leagues worldwide are constructed to play multiplayer, online versions of games like League of Legends, Rocket League, Smite, Overwatch and Paladins. The esports business has exploded over the last two years.

Business Insider recently said the esports business would top $1 billion in revenue in 2020, with a projection of $1.8 billion by 2022. So esports is not only recreation but has become a legitimate business enterprise. 

Members of the Great Bay esports team say the connections of community and love of video games drive their passion. 

Herons E-Sports Head Coach Jesse Clardy said spending time with friends fueled his passion.

"I've been a gamer most of my life. I began playing PS1 and Nintendo 64, like most gamers my age. In high school, I would regularly compete in tournaments of fighting games," said Clardy. "But my true passions were in team-based games where my friends and I would spend countless weekends competing to climb the ranks on competitive ladders."

Herons team member Max Higginbottom echoed his coach's sentiment.

"Esports, for me, has always been a way to meet new people while playing the games you enjoy," said Higginbottom. "They can bring communities together as well as make new friends. It can also be a great way to learn how to work as a team to accomplish a goal and grow as a person."

STARTING THE PROGRAM

Great Bay created the program to help foster more of its core beliefs in developing their students' life outside the college. 

In the announcement of the program, Tina Favara, vice president of student success and enrollment management said, "It's no secret that students who are involved in extracurricular activities such as clubs or traditional sports and engaged in campus life outside of the classroom realize greater academic success. This is an exciting time for Great Bay Community College."

Higginbottom says the school has been incredibly supportive from the start. 

"Great Bay is an excellent college with great professors and staff so when their esports team started, I didn't expect anything less," said Higginbottom. "For a group that just started this year, they have had a lot of support from both the players and the college. I felt welcomed when I joined and I feel that it will be the same for anyone else who does join in the future as well."

Coach Clardy's goal is to foster that feeling moving forward.

"I hope that we keep raising awareness and can show students and parents that videogames are a valid way to pursue their college goals. There are many different career paths that stem from the videogame in; they, the possibilities are essentially endless."

Ultimately, both stress that personal growth is cemented within participation in the surrounding community. 

"I like playing with people that take the game both seriously and can have a laugh once and a while," said Higginbottom. It's the last bit there that's most important to me. Someone once told me that if a game isn't fun, then it isn't a game, so to have both sides of serious and fun is something that some esports teams have found balance with."

"There are new opportunities for young gamers to grow and create a thriving and competitive landscape," said Clardy. "These communities have helped foster friendship, respect, and opportunity for anyone who comes into the community."

JOINING AN ORGANIZATION 

The Herons are members of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). According to Great Bay, "NACE is a nonprofit membership association organized by and on behalf of the member institutions. The members are developing the structure and tools needed to advance collegiate esports in the varsity space. When NACE was formed in July 2016, only seven colleges and universities had varsity esports programs. As of July 2020, there are more than 180 institutions that sponsor esports." 

Higginbottom says the even playing field of the esports league excites him. 

"As someone who is on an esports team for the first time, it was stressful. I had played on other sports teams before but this one was different in some cases. There was a higher amount of mind games and strategy that went into the choices we (make) compared to physical action. This meant that we had to outsmart them before the game even started, very similar to chess," said Higginbottom. 

Esports is starting to see some growth within the Yankee Small College Conference. 

Teams from Central Maine Community College, Paul Smith's College, and NHTI have all built esports programs. 

Coach Clardy expects esports to bring even more people together over the next few years.

"Technology is the single greatest tool we have," said Clardy. "Currently our team is working completely remote this semester and it was only possible through the use of apps like Discord, Zoom, and Twitch. Technology also gives us access to amazing inventions like the Xbox adaptive controller which allows gamers with disabilities to play every Xbox game available with their friends." 

If you are interested in getting more information about Great Bay Community College and their esports program, please contact Herons Athletic Director Brian Scott at bscott@ccsnh.edu.

Great Bay Herons ESports Team Member Max Higginbottom Gaming Bio

• First console/PC - My first personal game console was a handheld DSI and my first computer was a desk PC with a massive monitor. My family's first console was the Nintendo 64 and then the Wii. 
• First video game - Super Mario World Or Pokemon Heart Gold
• Favorite Video Game - Difficult to pick, but I enjoy many first-person shooters, puzzles and free roam games.
• Game your best at - I don't consider myself to be best at any game. If I had to pick something though it would be any game where I can be inventive with the things I do. I.e., have strategies or ideas that are new and fun.
• Esports goals - I don't have many goals for esports other than to enjoy them and have fun along the way!