Gaming has recently lost its notorious label as ‘a waste of time’. Schools are beginning to see the apparent positives and various opportunities that can occur from investing time into gaming for competitive E-sports, which led many schools to comply with the option of E-Sports as a class.  

“I think that E-sports can be considered a class because it’s a legitimate sport,” Junior Rashann Coleman said. “It’s very similar to most classes because you learn about different things that other classes don’t show, like what gaming does to your brain. E-sports also led me to learn that I have faster reaction times than most people, which I never would’ve discovered if it weren’t for E-sports.”

According to the National Center for BioTechnology Information, playing action video games involves rapid sensory information and prompt action, forcing players to make instantaneous responses, which most classes lack in practice. Having many learning opportunities, E-sports flourishes with participation due to almost everyone enjoying it while benefiting from education.

“What we learn in E-sports is about what E-sports itself is, the science behind E-sports and video gaming,” an anonymous student said.  “We mostly learn things like how gaming affects your brain, and there aren’t always negative emotional exposure, it can also bring out positive impacts on the brain.”

E-sports may seem like entertainment with no cause, but it can improve educational and physical aspects. The anonymous student states that E-sports can provide more problem-solving skills and the ability to be focused more in a very distracting environment.

“Our E-sports [teacher] is very adaptable and we have a lot of time to spend playing games,” Sophomore Emma Ward said. “E-sports is a lot of fun because a lot of other classes are high stress, but here it’s simple and relieves all kinds of stress. However, my E-sports class is filled with only men, which is its only flaw. 

Coyle Edmondson, one of the E-sports teachers, and an addition to the impervious amount of men in Ward’s class, has been teaching the class for 2 years now. He was always fond of gaming and anything affiliated with it and hopes to share his knowledge by teaching aspiring gamers.

“Teaching E-sports is very fun. Gaming has actually been a passion of mine for all of my life, and it’s exciting to always see kids be excited about coming to class,” Edmondson said. “It’s so much more different than other classes because it’s a brand new emerging field of study, so it’s basically a new experience for everyone. As a passionate gamer myself, I find it fun to share that spark with other students.”