LORAIN, Ohio – Esports, a form of competition-based video game play, has become the fastest-growing extracurricular at Lorain High School. But for the school, it’s more than just a rising trend—it’s a chance for statewide victory.
On April 26, Lorain’s esports team will travel to the University of Akron for the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Tournament. There, students will face off against seven of the best high school esports teams in Ohio, each vying for the state title.
Lorain’s team earned its place at the championship after winning the regional final competition at Baldwin Wallace University on April 6, where it entered as the top seed. The team competed in the game Valorant, Riot Games’ popular tactical first-person shooter game.
While Lorain’s esports team is just two years old, the growing interest in the program doesn’t surprise head coach Seth Litman.
“The technology has been so available and ingrained as part of their lives that it’s familiar to them,” Litman told cleveland.com. “It’s also much more accessible than traditional sports like football. You can’t really play football at home by yourself, but with video games, you can. Technology allows you to connect with people online at any point from anywhere.”
Ohio’s high school esports competitions are managed by Esports Ohio, an educational nonprofit organization created by educators. Today, about 250 high schools across the state participate in the program.
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