Students are scattered around the room in different huddles. Paper plates are filled with slices of pizza and hot Cheetos, partnered with cans of Coca-Cola and Mountain Dew. But instead of completing schoolwork or browsing the web, they're all practicing for a competition.
From Mario Kart to League of Legends to Rocket League, the Cobblers — alongside Rapid City Stevens and Douglas — are one of the few Black Hills schools to field an esports program. Now with an official sanction from the South Dakota High School Activities Association, students can showcase their talents on an online platform.
“It’s gonna grow, huge (numbers),” said Kevin Militello, Douglas High School’s esports coach. “It’s what these kids needed.”
A DIFFERENT AVENUE FOR COMPETITION
The introduction of esports has benefitted students in similar ways more traditional sports, like football and basketball, have. Kids now have an activity they look forward to participating in, which helps them stay focused on their studies and fosters relationships with teammates and coaches. It can also lead to college scholarship opportunities at universities in the area.
The software stages each competition for every school, which allows each participant to play anywhere, either from their school or their own home. Live streaming is also possible through Fenworks’ YouTube channel, giving parents the unique opportunity to watch their child compete online.
Douglas had one of their Super Smash Bros. Ultimate matches — a one-on-one competition that forces the players to knock their opponent's character off a platform by any means necessary — against Madison High School selected to be broadcast on Nov. 17. Two commentators described each powerful hit and combo move for those watching, allowing anyone to watch from anywhere.
“We watched it at home. And we were texting him when he was between his games, but it was so much fun to be able to cheer him on,” said Adriana McCauslin, who watched her son live during the stream. “I think it was that YouTube, streamer experience that all kids want, and it was just so friendly and encouraging.”
The backing from Fenworks is crucial to local schools fielding an esports roster. A state sanction wouldn’t be possible without the commitment from the esports company. And because of the SDHSAA sanctioning esports for the 2024-25 school year, a school district must allow for a team to be formed if there is viable interest.
An uptick in participation in esports has developed in South Dakota. It coincided with esports garnering more attention across college campuses and even athletic departments. The University of South Dakota has its own esports team, likewise South Dakota Mines. Both schools house their own esports labs, fitted with dozens of computer systems, televisions, wireless access and gaming systems like an Xbox or Nintendo Switch.
A CHANCE TO PLAY IN COLLEGE
Universities that foster varsity esports teams have opened the door to scholarship opportunities being created. Schools are beginning to pay students to attend their institution if they can play games online. Students that start in high school have a better chance of attending a higher-education school and have the chance to play esports.
Rapid City Central esports coach Michael Encke said that one of his students last year routinely found themselves in trouble. They would often visit the principal’s office and find it difficult to be motivated to want to succeed in his classes.
Encke allowed them to join the team with a stipulation that they limit their visits with one of the Cobblers’ principals and improve their grades in the classes they were struggling with. Improvement immediately followed, he said. Grade percentages rose and less trips to the office followed.
Weeks later, that same principal visited the computer lab filled with students clicking away at keyboards and controllers. They spotted that once trouble-ridden student engaged in a game. It showed kids that might not excel on a field can still compete through an online forum.
“Most of these kids are failing because they don’t have a reason to come,” said Militello, the Douglas coach. “Attendance, super high up, and grades super high up. And behaviors, way down. … It’s been proven in all of the research. Practically, I see it too.”
Kids have been playing video games for years on end. Popular consoles and games have only gotten better, drawing more children into playing them in their free time.
'WORKING TO GROW IT TOGETHER'
Rapid City Central’s Shaylynn Mousseau-Gray is a member of the Cobblers’ Mario Kart team. She pairs up with her teammates during practice to train on different courses, always trying to perfect when to drift for a speed boost and figuring out which mystery item helps her catch up to the leaders.
Mousseau-Gray said she began playing video games when her sister had a Wii, an older device popular in the late 2000s. She fell in love with playing, and viewed the esports team as a way to continue that passion.
Jayson King got his start in esports similarly to Mousseau-Gray, which involved playing games from home. But once he learned about scholarship opportunities and the ability to use esports to garner college attention, his choice to join the team was an easy one.
Video games used to be viewed as a detrimental component of children’s lives growing up. There was a shared feeling that playing games online could hurt development and potentially lead to addiction and heightened aggression.
Problems relating to interrupted sleep and online bullying are also apparent, according to Pew Research Center findings.
But there is an argument that esports provide a lot of benefits to those that play. A study conducted by the National Institute of Health show that children that partake in video games were faster and more accurate than those that don't play in tasks "that reflected their ability to control impulsive behavior and to memorize information." The work cited that some video games make the player practice tasks that require impulse control and memory, leading to better cognitive function.
A Pew Research Center study found that many teenagers say playing video games help with their problem-solving skills, ability to work alongside other and creating new friendships.
Joint practices, like one with Rapid City Central and Douglas, showcase the friendship and problem-solving skills children acquire from esports. The two teams paired together, regardless of what school they go to. They dealt with computer issues, staged competitions across multiple different games and connected with each other.
"This is absolutely the biggest thing we could do for esports," Militello said. "Getting together like this and working to grow it together."
© 2025 Rapid City Journal, S.D. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
