More than 'just' videogames: How esports fosters friendships, teamwork

For the uninitiated, the idea that esports can be just as much of a social and team-building activity as other sports might seem far-fetched. But as South Dakota prepares for its first sanctioned season of high school esports, athletes across the state are debunking that myth every day.

Rachel Knight has experienced how esports can foster friendships, build communities and teach sportsmanship.

With an enrollment of about 170, Deuel High School is one of the smallest schools in the state to start an esports program. The team is sponsored by SDN Communications member company, ITC, headquartered in Clear Lake. ITC, SDN and its member companies are teaming up to host the SoDak Circuit esports tournament on Sept. 21 in Sioux Falls.

Knight will be a senior for the team this fall. She said she has seen the benefits of community and friendship through the team since many of her teammates wouldn’t be involved in a school activity otherwise.

"Esports has been a great way to connect with classmates I wasn't super close with before,” she said. “With my game, League of Legends, strategizing with the team and learning each other's strengths and weaknesses is super important in playing with each other effectively. You really get close to people when you have to figure them out like that."

Fenworks, a North Dakota-based company that facilitates esports in South Dakota, organized a chat room for all players so they could stay in contact with each other during and after the season. Knight said she’s made friends across the state through that from Aberdeen, Tea Area, Sioux Falls and Dakota Valley.

The esports state tournament for South Dakota was a highlight for many reasons, Knight said, but one of them being that these players finally were together in one central location after a couple months of playing against each other online. Knight said she still keeps in contact with people she met at the tournament.

A small but mighty community is an accurate description for esports in South Dakota. Knight said "the community around esports is stronger because of the distance, even though we're relatively a small community, we bond together when given the chance."

Esports has also helped with her communication and problem-solving skills.

“There’s a lot of strategy in team games,” she said. “And you really have to understand the game mechanics and your teammates.”

Even though it’s done through a computer screen or console, esports require strategy and frequent communication to secure a victory, Knight said.

“Esports is just fun,” she said. “Who doesn’t like video games?”

Esports helps students build bonds

Alex Nelson is the manager/coach of the Hot Springs esports team in southwestern South Dakota. The team is sponsored by SDN Communications member company, Golden West Telecommunications, headquartered in Wall. During the esports pilot year of 2023-24, Nelson noticed how friendships were formed within his team made up of students in grades 8-10.

This past season, the Hot Springs team was ready to play “League of Legends” and “Rocket League” when some of the players dropped out. Nelson said others stepped up even though some of them had never played the other game. “Rocket League” players were now playing “League of Legends” and “League of Legends” players were building a competitive edge in “Rocket League”. Nelson said it’s just one example of how he sees his players step up to help one another.

SDN Communications and its 17 member companies see the benefit of esports, as well. That’s why the conglomeration of internet providers are supporting esports throughout the state by sponsoring teams in their coverage area, providing internet connections that power the games and hosting the free SoDak Circuit esports event on Sept. 21 in Sioux Falls.

Esports athletes are typically on the sidelines when it comes to other high school activities, supporters say, so many of them aren’t otherwise exposed to the benefits of extracurricular activities.

It can be challenging to break the ice when joining a new club or activity at school, but by the end of the season, Nelson noticed how the team had bonded and kept gaming together even when practices were completed for the year. They were working through gaming computer problems together and hanging out away from practice sessions.

Esports is a rapidly growing sport across the country and in South Dakota, and Hot Springs is seeing that firsthand. Nelson said there are a group of students who have not found something that piqued their interest until esports, and it's an outlet for those students to participate and become competitive against one another just like in any other sport.

“It kind of started a little cold,” he said. “But by the end of the season, people were laughing and joking and continued to play even after the season ended. Esports is building bonds between students and using technology to advance students’ communications and competitive nature.”

Esports reaching new students

Brendan Evans, an 11th grader from Woonsocket, participated in chess during the pilot season. In addition to learning critical thinking skills, he said that his friendships were able to grow and that he is able to spend time with fellow students he normally wouldn’t see during the school day.

“School administrators are starting to see the outlet that esports (provides),” Evans said. “We meet the same requirements as every other athlete; attendance, grades. They are reaching kids that they possibly haven’t reached."

Evans’ coach, Armondo Rodriguez, said the state tournament that Fenworks put on was a great opportunity for the players.

“Some students never had participated in an event like this before,” he said. “The team had jerseys sponsored by Santel, and they even had their names on the back of them.” Santel Communications is one of 16 member companies of SDN Communications, headquartered in Woonsocket.

Just like any other sport, esports require practice. Evans and his teammates practice every day after school from November to April, in the early fall there is a free play option that any Woonsocket student can be a part of and choose whatever game they want to play.

Teamwork and connectivity are some advantages of esports, Evans said.

"When I play video games, I get to see the personalities of people come out and make a connection with them," he said.

Knight agrees.

“I ended up making a lot of friends from other teams,” she said. “Because we were able to play our games with each other even from miles away. ... Having a team and communication with others can be a great learning experience."