DETROIT LAKES — Opportunities abound for students in the Detroit Lakes Public School District, and those opportunities are expanding thanks to new services planned by Detroit Lakes Community Education.
This fall, middle school and high school students will have the chance to participate in a new esports program.
“The district does a really good job of providing athletic-based programs in both the middle and high schools. We encourage everyone, or anyone who wants to try something new, to We want to continue to offer programs that appeal to individuals in the community,” he said. Andrew Resch, Director of Community Education;
Lesh said planning for the esports program began in the spring of 2022, but plans were halted due to a change in community education leadership. Then the idea came back to life, and as 2024 rolled around, it took off.
“In my mind, I was always interested in bringing it back,” Lesh said. “Eric (Schuld) came on board and added a lot of passion and a lot of knowledge about it. Someone with his passion, knowledge and professional background will help take us to the next level. That's really exciting for me.”
Schuld, who is the main organizer for Community Education's esports service, said he was inspired to get involved in building the esports program after playing the game with his oldest daughter, who is a student in the district.
“I've been an avid gamer on and off for about 35 years,” Schuld says. “My daughter has been addicted to Fortnite for about a year now…We play, but what she feels, especially as a middle school girl, is that it's hard to find friends to play with. is…”
Esports has grown significantly in recent years at both the professional and high school levels, meaning there is a blueprint for school districts to follow. As preparations for the program progress, Resch and Schuld have been in contact with other districts that have established teams.
“Minnesota has two (esports) programs, one with 30 schools and one with nearly 100 schools. So there are about 130 schools in Minnesota with this program. There are more resources available (than before) because there are many people in the area,” Schuld said.
Schuld said the esports team will be part of the Minnesota Varsity League, which is the larger of the two esports programs in the state. There are 10 games supported by MNVL, including the most popular games in esports such as Rocket League, Fortnite, Valorant, League of Legends, Chess, and more.
First, participants primarily need their own gaming gear. Schuld said Level 99 Arcade at Washington Square Mall has signed a deal to sponsor the program, allowing esports participants to use its gaming systems and space for practice one night a week. It is said to become.
“For people who don't have equipment at home, there will be equipment there,” Schuld said. “The online nature of gaming means that, at least initially, it will rely heavily on people having a gaming console or computer at home.”
If all goes as planned and the program gets off the ground, we look forward to more face-to-face interaction. Games typically take place within the confines of a home, and interaction is primarily limited to in-game chat or other virtual forms of communication. As esports programs grow, they will help foster in-person social interaction and team building, similar to other activities offered through the school district.
Three information nights will be held for students and parents interested in learning about Detroit Lakes Community Education's esports offerings.
The first information session will be held at Detroit Lakes High School on Thursday, April 11th from 4 to 6 p.m. The second one will be held on Thursday, April 18th, also at Detroit Lakes Middle School, from 4 to 6 p.m. The third one will be held on Tuesday, May 7th from 4pm to 6pm at Level 99 Arracade.
Interested parties can attend any meeting and not only play games but also have the chance to win prizes. Parents are encouraged to attend the informational portion of the meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Resch said he hopes the program will eventually grow into a club sport for the district.
“If you can provide that passion in an after-school program, why not do it?” Lesh said. “Get some kids together and have them work together as a team, build relationships, get to know each other and be part of the team.”