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eSports

eSports

eSports Mission Statement
 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Let us show you a more EXCELLENT Way! 

eSports is growing, FAST!

 

eSports has become an officially sanctioned high school and middle school sport, and players across the country are changing what it means to be a student-athlete.

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eSports teams

Available for our Middle and High School students.  We have everything from Rocket League, Minecraft, Smash, Halo and Valorant.

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Post Season appearances since we launched in 2022

Our 7th-12th grade players have made numerous post season appearances with Minecraft securing it's first 1st Place win in the Fall Major of 2023

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Teams in our League

We are included in highly competitive play nation wide.  If you want to play at the next level Orangewood should be on your list for some of the best eSports in Central Florida.


 

What is eSports

eSports officially stands for electronic sports, not to be confused with video games. eSports takes video gaming to another level with organized competitive gameplay between two teams, governed by its own strict set of rules and guidelines. The difference is comparable to a pick-up basketball game at a park versus a varsity high school basketball game. eSports requires teamwork, communication, critical and strategic thinking, creativity, sportsmanship, and leadership — much like traditional sports.

Today, eSports is growing exponentially with 400 million fans worldwide who repeatedly pack out arenas. A recent survey shows that 72% of American teens play video games regularly. Currently, there are nearly 200 colleges and universities offering eSports scholarships. Establishing eSports in high school and middle school at Orangewood enables us to "meet students where they are" and to "do what they love".   Finally, eSports at OCS will provide our students with additional opportunities to earn scholastic recognition.

 

Benefits of eSports

eSports requires a tremendous amount of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity from players to achieve and sustain success. It reaches beyond traditional sports to create an all-inclusive environment that breaks barriers. A Pew Research Report states that video games and eSports play a vital role in teen friendships. The inclusiveness and accessibility of eSports allow students to come together over a common passion while providing access to a positive adult mentor in their lives. There is a strong correlation between student engagement and student achievement.   NCES reported that students who participate in extracurricular activities perform higher on math and reading assessments. The amount of technology involved with esports enables students to practice and develop STEM skills. Students spend hours analyzing data, game statistics, and strategies, which provide real-world experience and application. There will inevitably be challenges and early failures, but players who demonstrate grit and adapt/learn will typically succeed in esports. Fortunately, these attributes are exactly what employers and colleges are telling high schools they are looking for in recent graduates.

 

eSports in Education

We firmly believe that eSports has a place in education. It provides many opportunities for growth and learning, such as the creation and practice of “soft skills,” including communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Many of the same skills that employers are looking for in recent graduates. As our iLearn@OCS innovation plan continues, we will plan to offer classes like these in the future:

  • Shoutcasting 101
  • Live-streaming to Twitch using OSB
  • Content Creation for a Digital World

eSports can provide a gateway to colleges and universities. The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), the main governing body for varsity collegiate esports, has awarded millions of dollars in esports scholarships and aid over the last five years. Currently, more than 200 colleges and universities offer nearly 15 million dollars in scholarships. eSports majors and careers are becoming increasingly more accessible. There are growing opportunities to find employment in eSports-related careers. These opportunities include broadcasting, marketing, graphic design, multimedia production, hospitality, coaching, and management.

eSports embody ISTE Standards

  • Empowered learner
  • Digital Citizen
  • Knowledge Constructor
  • Innovative Designer
  • Computational Thinker
  • Creative Communicator
  • Global Collaborator

More than 200 colleges  and universities offer nearly 1 5 million dollars in scholarships.

 

eSports Safety

During the 2019-2020 school year, iLearn@OCS brought a new vision and plan for innovation and technology integration in and out of the classroom.  The program was based on the following three pillars:  Consistency, Reliablabilty, and Safety - (C.R.S.).  Find out more about iLearn@OCS and discover how this initiative allows Orangewood to innovate for future programming. We want the same experience for eSports programs here at OCS in terms of the C.R.S. model. The amount of screen time should always be discussed and monitored. Just as in traditional sports, student-athletes must find a balance between practice, games, school work, rest, proper nutrition, social time, and, of course, sleep. One of the benefits of joining a formal eSports team is that rules and practice schedules can be set and monitored regarding how much students can play during the week and on weekends. Additionally, with an eSports coach, parents are able to discuss concerns and develop plans with them to help their students stay on top of academics and extracurricular activities.

Middle School  - Team Zion

All games offered to middle school students for competition purposes are either rated "T for Teen" -- games that are appropriate for students between 11-13 years -- or "E for Everyone" -- games for all ages .  The current games we allow Middle School students to play are:

Chess, Rocket League, Minecraft, KO City, Pokeman Unite, and Fortnite.

High School - Team Morpheus - Under 16

All games offered to high school students under the age of 16 for competition purposes are either rated "T for Teen" -- games that are appropriate for students between 13-16 years -- or "E for Everyone" -- games for all ages.  The current games we allow High School students under 16 to play are:

Chess, Rocket League, Minecraft, Fortnite, Halo Infinite, and Valorent.

High School - Team Morpheus - Over 16

The High School eSports League offers select competitive games in the "Mature" category.  Only students over the age of 16 by the time the playoffs begin and have a signed permission form from their parents are allowed to participate in these games. These games are always monitored by a coach directly for content and reflection afterward.  

Games in this group include all of the above games in the under 16 Team Morpheus group and CS:GO, Seige, and CoD Vanguard.


 

eSports FAQ's

We have chosen 1 Corinthians 12:31 as the "Mantra" for our program.  "Let us show you a more EXCELLENT way".   We feel we have an opportunity to teach our students soft skills in "how to win with kindness, lose with dignity, choose better language while playing multiplayer games, how not to "ghost" on your team at the first sign of adversity."  Many students have basically "taught themselves" through OJT (On the Job Training) and do not know how to foster fruitful conversations and relationships when they don't see the other player on the other side of the ball.   OCS eSports players also believe that we have an opportunity to show Jesus to others through our actions.  We know there is a dark side to many experiences in the world and we want to be a guiding light to others who do not know Christ. 

The league takes place after school in the Innovation Lab or at home.  Orangewood eSports league currently requires each player to purchase a "Player License" each season in order to compete against other teams around the nation.  Students are added to the team rosters:  Team Zion, in MS, and Team Morpheus, in HS. Orangewood eSports currently belongs to the High School eSports League and the Middle School eSports League.

Like any other high school or middle school sport or extracurricular activity, your student will attend team meetings, (possibly practices), and official matches. However, since esports is played online, there is no travel required throughout the regular season. Players compete from their respective campuses or sometimes their homes, supervised by a coach. Each school year is divided into two regular seasons, Fall and Spring, each with its own playoff season.  (Summer season may come soon.)

Orangewood eSports League players have the opportunity to compete at the highest levels.  Players and teams compete for college scholarships every season and we have recruiters from colleges that "scout" the top eSports players in the nation.

A new way of gaming
 If you are already a well-versed eSports gamer, we know that "specs" matter to you.  We are building a World-Class Innovation Lab that you can be proud to call your home!  These machines will be able to service high-end video and graphic design projects smoothly as well as intensive high-end gaming demands for a completely amazing end-user experience.  We currently have 6 student workstations with plans to expand to 12 and then 18 total stations with a separate shoutcasting station.

Student work stations at Orangewood's Innovation Lab:

  • CPU: 8-Core Intel Xeon W with Hyper-Threading Tech
  • RAM: 32GB with the capacity to put 128GB in the future
  • GPU: AMD Radeon Pro W5700X with 16GB RAM
  • Storage: 1 TB SSD on the Mac partition and 3 TB SSD on the Windows partition
  • Ethernet Connection Speed: 10Gbps Internal - 1 Gbps ISP.
  • PSU: 1.400W - But the computer is whisper quiet
  • Monitors: 360Hz Asus ROG Swift 24.5'' HDR Gaming Monitor
  • Keyboard: We have multiple options from Thermaltake in Blue, Cherry, and Brown based on your mechanical response preference
  • Mouse: Thermaltake RGB Gaming mouse
  • Headphones: Astro Gaming A 40 TR wired gaming headsets
  • Gaming Desks: Eureka RGB
  • Gaming Chairs: Thermaltake U-Fit Black & Red Gaming Chair
  • Controller: Xbox Wireless Controller - Daystrike Camo Special