Esports is on the rise, and with colleges offering scholarships, West Hardin’s decision to incorporate esports into its list of extracurricular activities seems to be great.

The esports program will allow students in the program to obtain scholarships for competing well. According to the NACE (National Association of Collegiate Esports), 175 colleges and universities offer partial and full-ride athletic scholarships.

In addition, esports programs allow students to create new friends and encourage teamwork and communication between students. Most esports are games where cooperation and communication are vital components of winning.

Furthermore, it allows students more opportunities without interfering with the school’s budget. While the school could potentially pay for equipment for students who wish to compete, students who already have systems of their own could compete without requiring the school to spend money. This means that the program would be a smaller financial burden than most people would expect.

Esports is an excellent addition to the after-school programs offered at West Hardin because of its contribution to student scholarship, friendship-building experience and small financial burden.