CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Video gaming, as it turns out, is allowing students to develop invaluable real-life skills while engaging in friendly competition.
Teamwork, sportsmanship and patience are just some of the skills Derek Schaneman hopes to instill in his middle and high schoolers at PODER Academy, a college prep charter school in Cheyenne. Schaneman is a school guidance counselor and head coach of the secondary school’s esports team. The club was launched in 2020 and only had access to one video game console and monitor. However, Schaneman’s team has grown considerably over the years, and the school’s participation in esports has given students an opportunity to continue at the college level.
In November, PODER Academy’s esports team competed at a regional esports tournament at Scottsbluff High School in Nebraska. The Cheyenne students specialize in one of three competitive games: “Rocket League,” “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” and “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.” Players of these respective games finished with top rankings at the Nebraska tournament, which ultimately propelled the charter school to clinch first place overall.
“If I’m being realistic, these kids could beat me in any of these games,” Schaneman said. He said that his role is mostly to coach and guide students on what to practice during training sessions.
The Nebraska tournament was coordinated through PlayVS, an esports league geared toward esports competition in high schools. According to the league’s website, esports helps youth build character and develop self-discipline, self-esteem and sportsmanship. Coaches with PlayVS have reported an increase in grades and attendance among student players.
“Esports in general is just as competitive” as regular sports, said Jasper Hunter, a sophomore. “For the most part, the concepts are just as similar as regular sports like football. There’s lots of coaching, and you just got to do your homework. You got to practice.”
Hunter plays the game “Rocket League,” which he describes as “car soccer inside a dome.” He and his team finished in second place at the Scottsbluff tournament.
A burgeoning industry
Video games have been a highly popular hobby for decades, especially among youth, but only recently has competitive gaming received mainstream recognition. Esports is becoming a rapidly lucrative industry, according to Schaneman. Outside institutions agree: A study from market research company Grand View Research found that the industry was worth over $2 billion in 2023 and is estimated to grow to over $12 billion by 2030.
Outside of tournaments, online platforms such as YouTube and the streaming service Twitch allow competitors to play their games live or prerecorded and build followings. Streaming on Twitch in particular has skyrocketed in popularity since its founding in 2011. The platform is currently valued at around $46 billion, according to an entertainment and internet analyst.
Some of Schaneman’s players hope to eventually capitalize on this growing popularity. One such student is Daniel Curtsinger, a freshman who plays Nintendo’s “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,” a fighting game that pits characters from dozens of video game franchises against one another. Curtsinger said the objective of the game is to damage opponents until they are knocked off the stage. He has dedicated around 2,500 hours to the game over the past seven years and currently practices for around four hours weekly.
PODER’s esports team
Forty students currently compete in the PODER club, Schaneman said. When the club first began, the counselor lent his personal Nintendo Switch console for students to use on a single monitor. Now, the team has its own dedicated lounge, as well as multiple consoles, laptops and television setups.
“Buying Nintendo Switches was cheapest, so that’s how we ended up with ‘Mario Kart’ and ‘Smash Bros.’ because they’re both Nintendo Switch games. And then ‘Rocket League’ was the one that required the least amount of laptops,” Schaneman said.
The team is currently in its third year of competitive play and participates in fall and spring seasons for its three games. A PODER alum, Schaneman said, even earned a scholarship to Michigan Technological University for playing “Super Smash Bros.”
Club members currently practice in their respective games for 50 minutes Mondays through Wednesdays. Schaneman assists students in identifying what skills they need to work on or strategies to consider in their gameplay.
Mindset, multiple students said, is an important component to improving at any game. Curtsinger, for example, described how mindset led him to a decisive victory in the Nebraska tournament. Working his way to finals in bracket, he recalls playing against another player who he was struggling against. This caused his opponent to start playing over-confidently. Curtsinger eventually turned the tide and defeated them. The Cheyenne student got second-place overall in the tournament.
Schaneman encourages his “Smash” players to review recordings of their matches and take note of what they’re struggling with. The school counselor then has his students focus on improving those particular shortcomings. For Curtsinger, he is currently trying to sharpen his reaction times.
“A lot can happen in a split second, and you have to be ready for it,” Curtsinger said.
Liam Linn similarly plays “Smash” and is the sole senior on PODER’s team. He embraces playing and losing in the game, as this leads to gradual growth and deeper knowledge of the game. He currently is focusing on improving his playstyle to balance defensive and offensive strategies. Linn placed fifth at the Nebraska tournament.
Sportsmanship and teamwork are just two parts of a healthy competitive mindset, according to sophomore Giancarlo Ferrero, who competes in the racing game “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.”
“Every match is a new one,” Ferrero said.
Ferrero, a four-year veteran of the PODER esports team, has been playing “Mario Kart 8” since its 2014 release. He now competes on the “Deluxe” version for Nintendo Switch, with its expanded tracks, characters and kart customization options.
“Mario Kart” is often viewed as a laid-back, chaotic party game. Competitive players like Ferrero take it to another level, however. In varsity matches, players compete in teams of four and race another team. The racers accrue points based on finish line placement and pool them together for a team total.
Ferrero said good players in “Mario Kart” know how to properly use items and take advantage of shortcuts on racetracks. Successful team members also protect, communicate with and adjust to race settings cohesively with fellow teammates. He and his three teammates earned third place in Nebraska.
“It’s kind of just like balancing a lot of the aspects of the chaos of the game with your team,” Ferrero said. “We just have high expectations.”
PODER is currently constructing an addition to its facility that will be completed in summer. Schaneman said the school is giving his team a more spacious esports lounge in this fresh space.
