Hartford

ESports Fantasy Becomes Reality

by Jamil Ragland | Apr 10, 2024 2:44 pm

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Posted to: Pop Culture

Nutmeg State Games ESports Tournament 2024
Alumni Hall Complex
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain
April 7, 2024

Many children dream of becoming professional athletes. Some want to play on the gridiron. Others want to drain baskets. I had the most impossible dream: I wanted to be a professional videogame player. 

That 20-year-old dream today can come closer to a reality for high schoolers. So I learned at the Nutmeg State Games ESports Tournament this past weekend. I saw firsthand how far gaming has come and the opportunities for a new breed of student- athletes. 

The Nutmeg State Games have been around for 35 years, the largest amateur multi-sport event in the state. The Games host competitions for everything from pickleball to track and field. This was the first year the Games hosted an ESports competition, allowing high school aged students to compete in Rocket League and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for cash prizes. 

Rocket League is the definition of a game that is easy to learn but takes a lifetime to master. Players compete in teams of three, controlling cars that they use to hit a giant soccer bowl into a net. It’s pretty straightforward in the way that real soccer is, until you add in curving shots, bouncing the ball off the walls of the arena, and the individual talents of each player. I used to play Rocket League with my son when he was younger; I could instantly recognize that these young competitors were leagues beyond my ability (pun totally intended).

The grand finals of the Rocket League tournament came down to a best-of-seven series between the Putnam Science Academy Mustangs and the Westwood High School Cardinals of New Jersey. The teams battled relentlessly, winning games back and forth and taking several games into overtime. The Mustangs battled back from the loser’s bracket in the double elimination tournament to force a second best-of ‑even series, but the Cardinals were too much, winning the tournament 4 – 2.

As I was watching the competition, I noticed the large number of parents. My own parents were more supportive than most when it came to me and my brothers playing games, but even we heard our fair share of ​“Turn the game off and go outside!” Now the seats were filled with the parents of kids who were competing with each other. 

That may be because there’s so much more to these games than simply having fun. The tournament doubled as a showcase for the players. Representatives from three different colleges were present at the games, scouting talent for their programs. More than 700 colleges now have ESports programs either at the club or or varsity level. A third of them offer scholarships to gifted gamers. I would have never dreamed in high school that my hours of gaming would help me to pay for college, but now these kids have that opportunity. 

Opportunity is the key word. I spoke with Duane Pierre, one of the lead organizers for the event and the varsity ESports coach for both the New Britain School District and Central Connecticut State University. He explained to me that as with every major sport, not everyone will make it to the professional level. But there are still plenty of lucrative and fulfilling careers in the ESports space that have nothing to do with picking up a controller. Streaming, production, graphic design, and may other jobs in STEM and tech help to support the gamers. He hopes to showcase that ESports can lead to all of that and more for interested young people.

I have to admit, I left the Nutmeg Games a little jealous, but far more inspired by what the future holds for something I’m truly passionate about, competitive gaming. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to practicing some of the cool stuff I saw in Rocket League.

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The Nutmeg State Games will host several more sports competitions throughout the year. You can take a look at the schedule here.

Jamil heads to the Old State House for a history lesson.