Everyone has heard of sports and how competitive they can get, injuries can pop up left and right. Some kids can get disabling injuries from their desired sport. Esports might be the next step in society to allow kids to excel in what they’re best at.
Esports is an organized competitive video gaming career. It primarily involves team based competitions that can include brackets and professional prizes like trophies for the year or season. The rise of esports in recent years has started a debate between officials with esports joining the fray in Olympics.
Major media networks have been following and streaming live events with even the NBA and NFL displaying their interest during popular games within the half time shows.
Over 600 colleges already participate in esports, high schools are following along. Universities have even gone so far as to adding varsity esports teams with students gaining the chance at possible scholarships. Over 19,500 high schools have started to join the conquest of the popular and very fast rise of esports. With increasing popularity, 83% of teenage girls and 95% of teenage boys play video games.
One of the most popular cases in 2019 was when a young teenage boy won the Fortnite World Cup, walking away with $3 million in prize money. Similarly, in 2017 a 16 year old boy won the Fortnite World Championship, walking away with $3 million. Both of these prizes are the exact same amount athletes make after winning World Cups and Championships on the fields. In 2019, Tiger Woods won the most infamous trophy in Golf. A sport that has been around for hundreds of years, winning $3 million as well. Esports has only been around for a few decades, and yet the prizes are just as serious as physical sports.
Physical sports come at a cost with injuries being so severe that some athletes end up dying due to long term injuries gained from playing sports. Football athletes often suffer from brain injuries, several cases of athletes dying early because of these injuries. Soccer athletes often suffer from similar cases like concussions and even deformities in their shins and feet. Basketball athletes suffer from sprains, bone breaks in legs and even knee caps, fingers spraining and sometimes ending up pointing in unhealthy directions, and tears in muscles that can lead to immobility. Physical sports can be very dangerous to young athletes with a passion to play, esports also comes with its own valid concerns.
Esport athletes are more likely to incur musculoskeletal injuries in their neck, back and upper extremities. There’s also a chance for athletes to suffer metabolic disturbances, poor posture deformities, and other sedentary conditions. Psychologists fear that esports might cause extreme mental issues in young players. While this can be true, studies and recent developments have been taken to avoid these dangerous problems.
Most of these problems are caused by poor commonplace training and ignorance from supervisors. Personal trainers and advisors are being recommended and commonly discovered in colleges and even pro training centers. This enables a healthy environment for young gamers, allowing kids to play safely and form new relationships with teammates. It’s best for young players to have a healthy and informed environment with plenty of support from friends and family!
Student will not have much to fear when it comes to this rise in the gaming and sports society. It won’t be an issue to compete in these competitive games. Of course, endorsing gaming can be unhealthy, but plenty of young athletes walk out with fresh skills. Focus, determination, responsibility, maturity and even physical and mental benefits are the true prize of healthy esports team play.
