Esports Program Development

This chapter is an overview of student interest in scholastic esports, as well as the ties between extracurricular participation and student success. The author provides resources for overcoming obstacles present in the implementation of a scholastic esports program. Student interest in esports is current and is only continuing to grow. By implementing an esports program, teachers and administrators can meet students where their own interests are and possibly create a program that rivals or surpasses interest in other activities at their schools. The author has assisted many schools in starting their own scholastic esports programs and addresses some common misconceptions, provides resources for further research, and outlines some concerns and obstacles that might be faced when starting a program.