By Derek Artimez and René Trezise
Maddie Kaley is not the fastest runner nor can she throw a deep ball, but she is attending college on scholarship and competing as a Division 1 athlete against universities in the Big XII Conference and beyond. More importantly, not only is Kaley contending, but she’s winning—all from the comfort of a state-of-the-art arena at West Virginia University (WVU) Potomac State College.
Kaley and her teammates are a new generation of college athletes competing in the world’s fastest-growing competitive sports league: esports. Esports are video games that demand an athlete’s full attention, rapid and concise reflexes and the ability to think 10 moves ahead of the competition.
Photo by Derek Artimez.
“Yes, other sports are more physically demanding, but this is a mental workout like no other,” says WVU Potomac State College Head Esports Coach Joshua Steger.
Much like track and field teams are made up of individuals specializing in their own events, esports athletes specialize in their own video games. WVU Potomac State College’s Catamounts, a sanctioned team of the National Association of Collegiate Esports, or NACE, chose to compete in Fortnite, League of Legends and Rocket League in their inaugural season.
Fortnite is a fast-paced battle royale of 100 players where the winner is simply the last team standing. League of Legends is comprised of two teams of five powerful champions, each with a unique design and play style, battling head-to-head to destroy the opposing team’s base. Rocket League is a game based on teamwork and outmaneuvering opponents. Players work with their team to advance the ball down the field and score goals in their opponent’s net.
Steger and Assistant Coach Rachel Raschella run their team much like any other athletic Catamount team. Teammates practice together, review tournament film, wear matching uniforms and challenge each other for starting positions on the roster.
“We’re competing against some of the most highly revered colleges in the nation and winning,” says Steger. “We offer scholarships to the athletes we recruit. We are a spectator sport, and we livestream all our matches via Twitch. We play in our own 450-square-foot arena with 12 top-of-the-line gaming computers, and we’re just getting started.”
Comprised of athletes from diverse backgrounds, the Catamount esports team has representation from British Colombia, China, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Florida and, of course, Keyser, WV—home to WVU Potomac State College. The team is made up of 12 varsity players, six junior varsity players and two team managers.
Kaley and her teammates are running the table with a record of 7-1 in League of Legends matches this season. Not to be outshone, the Fortnite and Rocket League teams are having dominant first seasons, all leading off with winning records.
The WVU Potomac State College leadership team recognized the surging popularity of esports among college-aged students and spearheaded the endeavor of bringing an official esports program to the campus.
“Esports is a phenomenon in the realm of competitive sports leagues and home entertainment. According to a CNBC release, in 2018, the League of Legends World Championship Finals surpassed the 2018 Super Bowl in home viewership,” says Dean of Students Lucas Taylor. “We see this as a great avenue to offer new and exciting opportunities for our students and a means of meeting growth goals for the campus.”
The future of esports is bright for the Catamounts as the team plans to develop a second arena on campus to accommodate the influx of players hungry to compete with the team. The Catamounts will also be adding the extremely popular Overwatch to their lineup of games for the 2020 season. Viewers can catch the Catamounts in action by following them on Twitter at @WVUPSCEsports and on Twitch at WVUPSC.
About the Authors
Derek Artimez is the alumni relations coordinator at West Virginia University (WVU) Potomac State College. Artimez is a graduate of WVU, where he earned his Regents Bachelor of Arts degree. He also provides graphic design, videography, photography and livestreaming support for the WVU Potomac State College campus.
René Trezise serves as communications and outreach director for WVU Potomac State College. An alumna of Potomac State, she went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in journalism from WVU and an MBA from Frostburg State University.
