Signing days are big news for students transitioning from high school to college, with announcements being made about those heading to higher education to add to the rosters of basketball, golf, football and more.
And now, add gaming to that lineup. Esports platform PlayVS hosted its inaugural National Esports Signing Day. And not surprisingly, social media went wild.
The event took place on May 30 in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports (which actually has been following high school esports closely).
The event had manifold goals. In addition to providing a dedicated moment for esports athletes to publicly commit to their chosen colleges and universities, the signing day underscored the significance of esports in the academic arena, highlighting new opportunities that have become available to talented gamers. It was also a testament to the widespread acceptance of esports as a varsity activity.
And just as with the traditional sports scene, there were some players to watch at National Esports Signing Day, including the following:
Notable student commitments include:
- From Divine Child High School in Dearborn, MI: Connor Niehiesel and Colin Gribble have committed to Michigan State University to play Rocket League; and Mathieu Bouradge, who has committed to Lawrence Tech University to play the Super Smash Bros.™ Ultimate game.
- From Peach County High School in Fort Valley, GA: Ayden “Kanik” Surles has committed to Cottey College (MO) to play VALORANT; while Jordan Woods and LeVaughn Scott have committed to Brewton Parker College (GA) to play Super Smash Bros.™ Ultimate and Madden NFL / NBA 2K, respectively.
- From Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School in Chicago, IL: Shannon Pasters has committed to Carthage College (WI) to play the Super Smash Bros.™ Ultimategame
- From Vancleave High School in Vancleave, MS: Konner Cheramie has committed to the University of Southern Mississippi to play Rocket League.
- From Toombs County High School in Lyons, GA: Christian Castro has committed to Central Methodist University (MO) to play the Super Smash Bros.™ Ultimate game.
- Additionally, Gretna High School in Gretna, NE stood out by graduating eight seniors into collegiate esports programs at the University of Nebraska, Northwestern College (IA), Midland University, Doane University, and Metro Community College.
Student commitment videos can be viewed on the social channels of PlayVS and USA TODAY High School Sports, including Instagram and TikTok. Additionally, students from all around the country were encouraged to post signing videos to social media with the hashtag #esportsday.
PlayVS (pronounced Play Versus) is the official high school esports partner to the NFHS Network, the Special Olympics and state and regional organizations in the U.S. and Canada that offer officially sanctioned scholastic esports leagues.
Oh, and by the way, some of these students were recruited through the esports scholarship platform and partner of PlayVS, Stay Plugged In. (Stay Plugged In works much the same way that platforms like CaptainU or NCSA, short for NextCollegeStudentAthlete, work to allow students to showcase their skills to coaches – except that it is specifically for students in esports.)
More colleges than ever are offering competitive esports teams – and offering scholarship money as well, from offer partial esports scholarships to full-tuition scholarships, all the way up to full rides. Additionally, colleges are building dedicated esports facilities, from playing lounges to classrooms to competitive arenas.
The video game industry as a whole has been growing rapidly in the last few years, with the number of viewers who watch esports expected to grow to 640.8 million by the end of 2025, meaning even more colleges are offering majors that include game development, assuring graduates of a real-world advantage after graduation.
“High school sports play an incredibly formative role in the lives of students—and today, esports are a key piece of that puzzle,” said Jon Chapman, CEO of PlayVS. “Esports offer unique opportunities for students, many of whom may not have previously participated in traditional after-school activities, to experience socialization, teamwork and competition, while fostering skills that are invaluable in the college search process. We are committed to expanding PlayVS to school districts everywhere, so that more students can reap the many benefits of esports, whether it’s enhancing their college applications with a meaningful activity or excelling to the point of earning a scholarship.”
And colleges aren’t the only places that want to recruit gamers. When COVID-19 put the kibosh on the U.S. Army’s ability to do face-to-face recruitment, it came up with a new battle plan. This one involved an elite squad… of esports professionals. The new strategy played out in (wait for it) Call of Duty tournaments. (Because of course it did). The Air Force and the Marine Corps, like the Army and Navy, also have their own teams and, in fact, there is a Military Gaming League, made up of active duty service members and veterans. Its tagline is: “You’re already America’s heroes. Why not be a gaming legend too?”
In fact, those who spend time in front of a screen can play an unbelievably vital role in other areas of the armed forces. In 2014, according to WARC, the Navy was able to attract potential cryptologists by using a puzzle-solving game on social media. (The article notes, “The Navy found, as it had suspected, that the brightest cryptology minds could not resist trying to crack what appeared to be the impossible-to-solve puzzles in Project Architeuthis).
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