By LUKE CREASEY
The Herald-Dispatch
(Courtesy photo)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The world of esports may soon be coming to high schools statewide as the West Virginia Career and Technical Education office has announced the launch of an esports pilot program, which could include up to 16 schools from around the Mountain State.
Esports — or competitive video gaming — has exploded in popularity over the past five years. In fact, the World Championship of League of Legends drew in more viewers worldwide than the NBA finals, the Super Bowl or the FIFA World Cup. Professional players make millions a year playing. League of Legends is a 5-on-5, team-based game that emphasizes strategy and cooperation and will be the focus of the West Virginia Department of Education pilot program.
Spring Valley High School held an informational meeting to gauge student interest and work toward forming a team. CTE Administrator and de-facto esports coach Will Totten said about 15 students expressed serious interest in participating.
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