El Paso Community College announced Esports as its new athletic program.
The college will participate in activities and competitions with more than 200 other institutions across the nation sanctioned by the National Junior College Athletic Association Esports.
Esports becomes the fourth sport at the school, joining softball, baseball and cross country, school officials announced on Monday, Sept. 8.
Esports is short for Electronic Sports, a form of organized competition using video games, and is popular worldwide.
It’s a fast growing “non-traditional” sport, which requires careful planning, precise timing, and skillful execution, in the form of individual or team competition.
There are various leagues and tournaments, in the same manner as traditional sports, with the aim of finding the top player or team in a category. Top Games include Halo, League of Legends, Call of Duty, Madden 24, Rocket League, Street Fighter, and Mario Kart, to name a few.
“Everything we do is to enhance the potential of our students,” said EPCC President Dr. William Serrata in a news release. “We are committed to ensuring every student has an opportunity to succeed — academically, personally, and professionally. Whether it’s through rigorous academic programs, robust support services, or meaningful extracurricular opportunities, we strive to create an environment where students can thrive and achieve. Esports is another example of that commitment.”
The idea of esports was first proposed to the EPCC Board of Trustees by EPCC Student Government Association members who expressed their interest and the value of this type of program.
“Our board has a laser-focus on student success — both in academics and athletics,” Judge Brian Haggerty, EPCC Chair of the Board of Trustees, said.
EPCC will start competing in tournaments later this fall. The Tejanos esports team will be coached by Adan Lara and is currently expanding its team of epsorts student athletes.
As esports expands at EPCC throughout the upcoming semesters, the Valle Verde campus student union will eventually host gaming tournaments, accessible to in-person and remote competition, with upgrades to technology and infrastructure. It will be equipped with gaming PC’s and other devices to be available for students.
For more information about NJCAA esports, please visit: https://www.epcc.edu/Services/Athletics and https://www.njcaaesports.org/
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso Community College to add Esports beginning in 2025
Reporting by El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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