Earlier this year, Thornton College, Buckinghamshire, partnered with nine other schools to participate in a national Girls’ School Association (GSA) esports tournament. Head of Computer Science at Thornton, Chris Lovell, explains why they got involved and how esports is helping to bridge the STEM gender gap.
In January and February, Thornton College took part in a GSA esports pilot project. It was facilitated by British Esports, a driving force in expanding amateur grassroots esports throughout the UK, with an aim of making the esports industry more equitable and diverse. But what is esports?
Esports is similar to professional sports, but instead of physical competition, players compete in video games. Like traditional athletes, esports gamers train rigorously, have coaches and teams, and compete in tournaments held in large stadiums or online arenas, with spectators numbering in the thousands or even millions. The games vary, encompassing strategy games, shooting games, and sports simulations, each with its own rules and required skills. The prize pools for top teams and players can rival those of traditional sports, reaching millions of pounds. Esports is a spectator sport centred around watching elite players compete at the highest level, captivating audiences with the excitement, strategy, and skill displayed…