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Granted, it’s a cliche to say e-sports have been catching on like wildfire in Minnesota schools. But it’s true. It didn’t hurt that many students had discovered the new extra-curricular opportunity during pandemic lockdowns.  The concept of pitting yourself against an opponent on a cyber field, whilst remaining in the comfort of your own home, couldn’t have surfaced at a better moment.

Chisago Lakes Area High School officially jumped into the four year old Minnesota  e-sports program at the start of this school year, thanks to boosters  Community Education Director Dan McGonigle, Principal Tammy Yackey and advisor paraprofessional Hannah Holida (pronounced with a long A.)  The e sportsprogram also got a financial prop in the form of a Chisago Lakes Community Foundation $400 grant.

In its first season of competing in fall 2022, Chisago Lakes had three players ranked highly enough to go to state; Saxton Anderson, Ben Nelson and Weston Harris, who finished second  in Super Smash Mario.  

Roseville won —with Eagan in third place.

The MNVL reported state tourney brought 184 players together from 38 schools, competing at Mall of America, partnering with  Wisdom Gaming studio.
The spring season is now  upon us leading to state tourney firing up again in May.

Some members of the five current Chisago teams met last week in the high school media center and players seemed stoked for action.

Holida told the Press the idea behind e sports can be summed up in one word, inclusivity.  

The e sports program has no try-outs or auditions, and because most play is on devices at home, it’s ideal for any competitor who has mobility or health issues.  E sports gaming does not require an expensive PlayStation or XBox, players use computers with users registered through their school program.  And, Chisago Lakes can provide loaner laptops;  plus if there is a hardship regarding the $45 registration fee, there are scholarships to help, McGonigle explained.  

The MNLV or Minnesota Varsity League, organized itself to bring some formality to statewide electronic gaming competitions.  It is free to join.

McGonigle remarked that e-sports “feels the same” as the extracurricular robotics movement did years ago, when it got started. McGonigle was in International Falls as community ed director,  when he first encountered e-sports and the first wave of schools embraced it as a great way for kids to get to know students from all types of districts.  E-sports brings academic and vocational exposure to future limitless career and business potential.  It can also just be fun and motivating.  McGonigle guesses the MN State High School League will eventually come to oversee e-sports as an official “activity” as the program gains ground.  

For now, e-sport schools are not divided into sections (sizes) or placed in categories of out-state versus metro— but  McGonigle envisions structure like this someday.
The post secondary options keep expanding, for example, St Cloud State announced this month it was opening an e sports “arena” and has added e-sports management as a minor and a game development certificate program.  

Holida points out that even if students don’t go on to become e-sports moguls, the program is really good for life.  

The students workout amongst themselves who is on  teams and the more-skilled members mentor newer participants.

You can take this as seriously or casually as you wish.  One of the players who represented Chisago Lakes so well in state action last fall, is a dedicated, analytic competitor.  He has his ways of “scouting” other schools and is no stranger to the styles of on-line elite Super Smash Mario Brothers players.   He also designed the team T shirt logo.
Contests take place weekly on-line and you can view these on Twitch.TV.  The teams competed last fall in League of Legends, Varsity Valorant, Super Smash Mario, Minecraft, Rocket League and this spring Fortnite and Smite were added to the line-up.

McGonigle explained that the game choices are titles the kids enjoy playing,  but  none of them are violent or stress inducing.  Games are “school appropriate” and the contestants themselves are monitored during league on-line events for language and obscenity is not tolerated.  There are no competitors older than 19 allowed.
McGonigle explained, “The league recognizes there’s a line between” the graphic action in some electronic games and the games that are challenging and attention grabbing.  The league organizers are cognizant of content and aware of overall perception of what’s on the screen.

For younger kids looking to get some experience with e-sports, Chisago Lakes does a summer activities program called Enrichment Week,  and McGonigle is looking forward to putting sessions for e-sports on the sign-up this year.  

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