As reported by Herald & Review, Illinois College is joining a smaller group of colleges that will offer scholarships for playing video games. The college’s coach Christian Matlock states that video games, though perceived to be a waste of time to some, can be a good way to foster teamwork skills and problem solving.
I completely agree that with that statement.
For example, playing a match of Overwatch during Solo Queue, you are matched up with a random group of people and you have defeat the opposing team.
Simple, right?
Imagine for a while how difficult that is with people you don’t know and add on the possibility that someone on your team doesn’t have a microphone to communicate with. The emotes or quick wheel messages can only go so far. You still have to work together to strength your team’s weakness on the fly and give support where you need it whether that is switching characters or using a certain at a precise moment.
I hope that colleges around the US adopt the same mindset if not for the students, then for the money. Money can’t buy you happiness but it can buy you the second-best thing in the world and eSports isn’t going anywhere.
Please if you are interested and want to participate, fill out the form at the email the program at http://admission.ic.edu/register/LoL_interest_form and email additional questions at eSports@mail.ic.edu.
I really don’t know how I feel about this, I mean I like the whole e-sports phenom as much as the next gamer, but I always feel uneasy when we start talking about professional college sports. Maybe I’m just a naive simple minded scruffy looking nerf herder, but I just hope that this doesn’t turn into how all other college sports are going, with academics being pushed to the way side in place of competition and profit…God I sound like a prick lol.
I can understand that concern. There have been more than enough stories of colleges fixing grades to have their best player in the game.