BHS Hopes To Establish Video Game Club, Introduce E-Sports

An activity that parents once though would rot their kids’ brains has turned into the fastest-growing sport in the United States.

E-sports — otherwise known as competitive video gaming — is recognized by 17 states and the District of Columbia as official high school activities. Nearly 200 colleges are participating and scholarships are available for the best gamers.

Entire curriculums are being built around video games and as the popularity grows, more schools will join in.

At Bourbon High School, principal Matt Peregoy is hoping the district can establish a video game club that will eventually grow into a sport that will be sport recognized by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA).

MSHSAA currently considers e-sports “emerging.” Once it becomes a certified activity, it would have all the same rules and guidelines governing physical activities like basketball.

Peregoy said an e-sports team is several years down the road and it’s still in the preliminary stage. The district has to put up the funding, which includes purchasing video game consoles and all the components.

It also has to be properly staffed.

“We have put together a grant writing team to get the funding,” said Peregoy, who is working closely with a student advisory team. “However, none of the grants will allow us to pay for the necessary staff. That has to be budgeted by the school.”

Before the student advisory group brought the video game club to his attention, Peregoy said he was familiar with the scholarship money that was flowing to gamers.

“It provides a lot of options for kids,” he said. 

Students can get their start in the gaming industry through scholarships. There are jobs to be had designing games, writing stories for games and marketing.

“A kid can learn a lot of different ways,” Peregoy said. “Video games are one way to learn. The design, engineering and marketing fit in with the educational component.”

Peregoy sees e-sports and Bourbon’s potential video game club as a way to reach a population of students who may lose interest in school, but want to play games.

And of course, to play, they have to show up.

Peregoy said they surveyed the student body to see what the demand was for the video game club. Thirty-nine students were interested. 

Peregoy said establishing the club remains in the works. 

“We are shooting for the first of next school year,” he said.