Esports Come Online
Millbrook’s new esports team is off to a fast start and looking to grow. Mustang e-athletes are in the vanguard of a new kind of competitive interscholastic sport as leagues and governing bodies take shape. Millbrook is affiliated with the North American Scholastic Esports Foundation for general guidance and with the Independent Schools Esports League to construct a network of competitive schools and a seasonal structure.
Millbrook’s esports athletes participate in rigorous physical training designed to develop and strengthen the skills they need to dominate the field of play. In Ring Fit Adventure, a game for the Nintendo Switch, the team interacts with the game console to get through a strenuous workout that incorporates elements of cross-fit, pilates, yoga, and aerobics with scores for participation and skill. This daily program of physical training precedes any gameplay and emphasizes posture and form while sharpening reflexes, motor skills, and coordination.
Justin DeFour ’21 and Griffin Mandelbaum ’21 are the two founding members of the team, coached by Nicki and Joe Schermann, and have competed with other schools in the Nintendo Switch game Super Smash Bros Ultimate. According to coach Joe Schermann, Justin is a profoundly skilled player and also very good at bringing out the best in other players. During a recent match against another school, the opposing coach was so impressed with Justin’s play that he proposed an exhibition match in which Justin singlehandedly faced three opponents simultaneously…and won.
Aside from the benefits of the physical training promoted by the North American Scholastic Esports Foundation, gamers develop problem-solving skills and have demonstrably better concentration, reflexes, memory, multitasking ability, and both physical and mental stamina than non-gamers. “While esports come in a huge variety of different games, they almost universally require competitors to be able to think, act, and adapt to difficult circumstances quickly, and good communication and cooperation with teammates is crucial,” said coach Joe Schermann, “in this way esports have also been known to help competitors improve on their social skills.”
Millbrook’s esports program is ambitious. “Our plan in the future is also to build out the skills of the students so that they have experience commentating matches, streaming games, editing videos, and all of the other technical aspects of esports that go along with the gameplay,” said Coach Schermann. Beyond the immediately tangible benefits of Millbrook’s new program, many colleges have taken notice of the rise of esports and have begun to recruit for their programs. “The National Association of Collegiate Esports currently has more than 170 competing teams,” said Coach Schermann. “We are already being contacted by colleges who are interested in recruiting our students.”
