The dictionary definition of "Sport" is "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment". We would argue that eSports is exactly that; a team operates in a competitive environment involving highly trained reflexes and reaction times for their own, and the crowds' entertainment. Professional eSports players can practice up to 12 hours a day 7 days a week to master their sport, far more hours than any that participate in traditional sports. It's easy to dismiss video games as something done purely as a pass-time based on games of the past, but we challenge you to watch the dedication, commitment, and mastery that competitive eSports players show.

Beyond the life skills that students will learn while participating, there is a vast array of educational fields that they will come in contact with because of their participation in eSports. Some of these fields include Digital Media Design, Broadcasting, Shoutcasting, Game Theory and Design, Event Management, Video Production, Networking, and much more.  Our innovation lab will be much more than just an eSports hub.  The Innovation Lab is intended to expand the iLearn@OCS program to include accredited courses involving Game Design, Shoutcasting, 2D and 3D Graphic Design,  3D printing and prototyping, AP Computer Science, and Genius Bar.

Yes! There are many schools nationally that offer Scholarships for eSports. Some statistics report as much as 20 million dollars being offered explicitly for eSports Scholarships. Regionally, the University of South Carolina Sumter, Coker College, and Savannah College of Art and Design offer Scholarships to their eSports teams. Locally, Full Sail University offers their Armada team scholarships based on merit. This number is growing every year and having experience with an organized team and a resume of tournament matches will go a long way towards getting one of those Scholarships!  We will continue to find those colleges for you in the future, so you know where you might want to take your next step when you leave Orangewood.

Video Gaming is a very large category. There are certainly some games that exist to just sink time into the story and you have certainly seen someone in your life play those types of games. However, eSports gaming is an entirely different type of game. It requires significant skill, coordination, teamwork, and communication. If you compare it to something more traditional like football, each player has an opportunity to learn the skills that you would often attribute to them, like leadership, dedication, and team cohesion. However, in an eSports League, you will see an entirely different type of student engagement and success that wouldn't often participate in traditional sports.

In addition, our Innovation Lab is more than just an eSports hub.  The Innovation Lab will serve a dual purpose: to support all future innovative curriculum options while also providing our students with the best equipment for eSports gaming.  Please see FAQ "How is this educational" for more information.

An eSports League allows for competitive and organized team play that they likely aren't participating in at home. Furthermore, this provides them with the opportunity to succeed among their peers, earn Scholarships, and participate in local, regional, national, and international tournaments for prize pools.  They receive all of this, and we facilitate life skill growth that comes with working as a team in a competitive environment.

That's a good question.  Unlike eSports Club, eSport League requires all members to use a portal that matches our teams up with other teams in the nation.  This portal requires programming and support and therefore we need to purchase access licenses to be able to assign to each player each season.  In addition, our licenses allow you to participate in more than one game if you choose to play others in the season and any "pop-up" weekend tournaments.  You normally pay a few hundred dollars to participate in any athletic team for management, coaches, and then an extra fee for player packages.  We attempt to keep the costs as low as possible and allow you to choose if you would like to purchase a uniform jersey or not.  

Yes. We currently have customized jerseys for any player wishing to purchase an official uniform or other outwear merch.  Our custom mech store will be ready by the summer of 2022.  Please check back later for the link.