PENSACOLA, Fla. — These aren’t your average gamers, but rather e-sports athletes. West Florida High School’s e-sports program is in the top 8 in the country in the video game “Super Smash Bros Ultimate.”
They competed against Florida Virtual High School on Wednesday for a chance at the national championship.
But the skills these athletes have learned along the way extend deeper than just the screen.
“If you don’t believe that it’s an actual sport, I’ll play you on it,” e-sports team captain Stefano Bitjoka said.
For years, parents have told their kids to put down the video games.
But now, students at WFHS have found those hours behind the screen could help launch them into high-tech careers.
“So e-sports is basically a competitive gaming culture,” WFHS e-sports coach Jerad Dampson said. “And we end up going to tournaments and we have leagues. And it’s really blown up.”
Students go head-to-head with other kids nationwide in games, like “Super Smash Bros,” “Mario Kart” and “Fortnite.”
“And I think the biggest misconception is that they’re just in here just having fun and just goofing off,” Dampson said. “And that’s not really the case at all. It’s just like with any other sport, you’re training to be the best.”
What many people see as just a hobby has become a pipeline to college scholarships and career opportunities.
Dampson says e-sports gamers are being recruited for jobs in air traffic control and military drone operations because of the skills they’ve developed.
“They’re getting the transferable skills, really comes from, you know, hyper awareness, hyper focus, being able to sit into one spot and be able to focus on a task without wearing out and having endurance,” Dampson said.
“There’s physical elements to it,” he said. “I know it’s a small amount, you know, with your hand. But honestly, if you’re flying a drone, the slightest twitch of your finger can move it off course 20 feet.”
Team captain Bitjoka says he’s become better at quick decision-making, multitasking and performing under pressure through e-sports — all skills he can utilize in a tech career.
“So like, you have to be able to think really fast in this game. It runs on 60 frames a second,” Bitjoka said. “…So you have to think on the spot within less than a second and… respond accordingly. Yeah, it’s really helpful. I can throw a ball up, close my eyes and know exactly where it’s going to land. That’s, I think, that’s pretty cool.”
West Florida’s team lost 0-3 Wednesday night. But they say they’re looking forward to playing again next season.