It used to be a simple pastime, but now it’s a billion-dollar industry that’s also giving high-schoolers a pathway to college, reports NBC 7’s Joe Little.
It used to be a simple pastime. Now it’s a billion-dollar industry that is also giving high schoolers a pathway to college.
It helps when your school builds a dedicated Esports arena for your team.
“I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be right here where I am now,” smiled Poway High School junior Martin Murguia while sitting inside a green-walled room with “Poway High Esports” written on the back wall.
Poway High officially dedicated the arena Friday while the Titan Esport team played on several screens throughout the room.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
“I never thought I could possibly even do this sort of thing at school,” Marguia said.
Thousands of high schools across the country have dedicated esports teams competing against other schools. Far fewer have dedicated space for those teams. It’s believed fewer than 10 high schools in San Diego County have esports rooms. The competition is increasing now that more than 170 colleges field esports teams and have scholarships available for students.
“Never would have thought it would be a competition down to the high school level into the college level,” said Kurt Jackson, one of Poway High’s esports coaches.
“The ability to get scholarships for this program; I want to be good at school now,” Marguia said. “It’s given me confidence to actually take school more seriously.”
Donations from tech companies and the Poway High Foundation paid for the school’s Esports arena.
