Connecticut First State to Recognize ESports as Student Competition

Connecticut is now the first state to recognize a video game phenomenon as a high school extracurricular activity.

Along with Friday night lights, there’s a new official student competition taking the stage in Connecticut.

“Esports are competitive video games,” Clint Kennedy said.

Clint Kennedy, Director of Technology and Innovation for New London public schools helped kick off Esports in Connecticut schools last year, the Connecticut Association of Schools now naming it a recognized high school competition.

“Here in Connecticut we ran kind of a beta season or first season last year and we had 23 high schools across the state participate in our events,” Kennedy said.

The competition combines communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity and Kennedy said it's attracting all kinds of students.

“We have football players that are playing when they're not in season we have other students that are not always necessarily the first one involved with school activities,” Kennedy said.

Connecticut is now the first state to join the Electronic Gaming Federation as a High School Esports League, a right of gaming passage Kennedy looks forward to seeing take off.

“I'm excited for those students and I'm excited for the scene overall,” Kennedy said.

Contact Us