Expanding Esports
Adding the program at
Vidalia Comprehensive
High School
HOMETOWN LIVING AT I TS BEST 115
York, Michigan, and Illinois hosted by Harlem High School
in Augusta. We anticipate that same kind of participation
at our event. Three team members from California were
Grand Champions in the Harlem Tournament, which
means they are in the top 2% in the world.”
Even so, students from TCHS performed well in their
first year of competitive gaming. Three players on the
Varsity Rocket League team achieved three diamond status
and finished eighth in the standings for Super Smash
Brothers Ultimate overall for the state of Georgia. “Several
of our players lettered in varsity sports and will get their
letter jackets,” said Tyler. “They’re really excited about that.
Until now, this would have been unobtainable for them
since they don’t participate in traditional athletics.”
Plans for this coming school year will also include
some in-person events. “We’ve already had a coach from
another school commit to coming here for an event. We’re
going to set up our gaming PCs in our auditorium so that
people can come and watch players compete just like with
any other sport,” said Tyler.
Whether an esports scholarship helps a student go
to college or simply gives them a place to belong while in
High School, it’s an excellent opportunity for the students
at TCHS. “There are a lot of careers from which esports can
benefit,” said Tyler. Informational Technology (IT) career
paths include computer programming, health information
technicians, robotics engineering, and everything in
between. As “Information Technology (IT) continues to
change the way we live, play, and do business, it should
come as no surprise that computing and IT is the fastestgrowing
career field, and will continue to be for years to
come,” (itcareerfinder.com).
Like many parents, I had concerns that video games
were just one more evil enticement to keep our children
in front of a screen and turn them into zombies. It wasn’t
until our last child, Ruth, that I finally bought a used
Nintendo 64 from my nephew Stephen when he upgraded
to a PlayStation. Of course, her three older siblings all
rolled their eyes and added it to the list of things “the
baby got to do” that, for them, was taboo. I can’t say that
playing Nintendo helped her graduate from college with
a degree in 3-D design, but I can say she didn’t become
a zombie. Just like her three siblings, she’s incredibly
talented and hardworking.
According to technopedia.com, “Gaming refers to
playing electronic games, whether through consoles,
computers, mobile phones or another medium altogether.”
Although competitive gaming cannot be compared to
playing a game of Candy Crush or Words with Friends,
according to the above definition, I guess even a grandma
like me is a gamer.
For more information on esports at TCHS, contact Tyler Corley
at Tyler.Corley@toombs.k12.ga.us
For more information on esports at VHS contact Kevin Head at
khead@vidalia-city.k12.ga.us
Esports is growing in popularity at schools around the
country. Here in Toombs County, both Toombs County
High School and Vidalia Comprehensive High School
now offer the sport to students. We asked Kevin Head,
head coach for esports at Vidalia High School, to
weigh in on how the program has been a great asset
for his students.
"We started the Esports program in the fall of
2019. Each school year has two seasons, but the Spring
2020 season was not completed due to COVID19. I
have always been interested in video games and teach
the game design class here at Vidalia High School.
Because of my experiences with video games and the
fact that I collect video and arcade games, the school
approached me about coaching the team when GHSA
started the program.
Since Esports is a growing sport, it helps students
be better prepared for competition outside of high
school. Many colleges are starting programs and are
beginning to offer scholarships to Esports athletes.
Also, it gives students more chances to participate in
school activities that may not want to participate in
traditional sports.
We have 16 students who participate in Smite,
Rocket League, and Super Smash Brothers teams. All
competitions have been done here at the school, but
the further along teams make it in the playoffs, they
will have the opportunity to compete in the finals in
the Atlanta area. The Rocket League team has been
in the playoffs two out of the three full seasons that
they have played. The Smite teams have been in the
playoffs one out of the three seasons and missed out
in this season’s playoff by just a few spots. The Super
Smash Brothers teams started this season (Spring
2020), and we have a team in the playoffs that is
ranked number eight in their division.
I would like for our team to continue to grow and
for us to also compete in Madden Football and Fifa
Soccer next year. I would love for more of my players
to receive scholarships to compete in college."
For more information, students can contact me at
khead@vidalia-city.k12.ga.us or at the high school.
/technopedia.com
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