What is Esports? Electronic Sports, or Esports, takes on the form of organized, multiplayer online video game competitions and is one of the fastest-growing trends for youth engagement. Through the Y’s Esports program, youth are welcome to be who they are, excel at what they love and develop the social, strategic and problem-solving skills necessary to grow into thriving adults all in a safe, moderated and inclusive environment.

As with all YMCA leagues, YMCA eSports will encourage and promote healthy kids, families, and communities by placing a priority on involvement, healthy competition rather than rivalry, the value of participation over winning, team-building as well as individual development, a positive self-image, and mutual respect for others.

YMCA Esports is the development of values through a progressive program stressing skill development, fun, physical fitness, and friendly competition.  All youth have an opportunity to play and families are encouraged to participate. Additional benefits include:

• Improved hand-eye coordination
• Improved attention & visual acuity
• Improved basic visual processing and executive function.
• Problem-solving & strategy skill development
• 71% of parents report gaming having net positive effects for children.
• Boosts self-confidence and player socialization.
• 54% of gamers say gaming helps them connect with friends.

Our Esports Program will be broken up into seasonal 3-month sessions with the last two weeks of the season being a player break. We will use the first week to examine participants’ skill level so we can place them on the appropriate team. The program will be divided into two groups, a Red and a Black group with 3 teams in each group. Each team can consist of a maximum of 3 players, resulting in 9 players per group. Both groups will spend the rest of the season preparing and practicing to increase not only their individual skill level but also their skill level and communication as a team. This will be done by online individual practice, online team practice, private practice against other teams such as other YMCA’s, and other Esports teams not necessarily linked with a YMCA, and finally coach/player analysis where we will review past matches through “Video On Demand (VOD).

Esports Flyer