RECENTLY ANNOUNCED: $5K High School Scholarship offered through eSports gaming tourny

SCHENECTADY — Gaming Insomniacs League recently announced it is hosting a $5,000 High School Scholarship eSports Tournament in the GE Theater at Proctors from Saturday, May 18 to Sunday, May 19.

“We are very excited about hosting the first high school eSports tournament in the Capital Region,” said Shane Batcher, Director of Operations for Gaming Insomniacs. “It is a great opportunity for the students to represent their respective schools on a competitive platform never before seen in the entire Northeastern region of the United States.”

Competitors who place in either first, second or third place will be rewarded with scholarship money students can use toward college tuition and textbooks.

Regional high school districts already committed and confirmed to participate in the tournament include Johnstown CSD, Foothills PTECH Academy, Broadalbin CSD and Rensselaer CSD. Other local school districts are encouraged to participate.

There is maximum of 16 teams for tournament slots and the deadline for school districts to register is Friday, April 26. Registration is free for the schools to get involved, and the form is available on the GIL website. They will be required to provide teams with a minimum of five players each, and also have a faculty member to represent them and serve as a point of contact.

Gaming Insomniacs supports both PS4 and Xbox One platforms. Players are allowed to bring their own controllers and headsets, but it is not a requirement.

“Proctors is excited to partner with Gaming Insomniacs League on this fantastic new venture,” said Salvatore Prizio, program coordinator at Proctors. “We feel that acting as host venue for this inaugural tournament allows us to play a part in fostering the team work and camaraderie of eSports in our own community. We are thrilled that the league will be partnering with so many of the local high schools and present a professional atmosphere for the players to compete in.”

Gaming Insomniacs League is an eSports organization concentrated on league play and tournaments. It recently located its headquarters at Urban Co-Works in downtown Schenectady.

eSports is a multi-billion-dollar industry beginning to rival traditional sports in audience and viewership. According to GIL CEO Jide Osipitan, there are professional teams and Semi-Professional leagues like Gaming Insomniacs League nationwide. He notes that many colleges are starting to develop eSports teams and offer thousands of dollars in scholarships for players and said that GIL is very focused on building up high school and college leagues in the Capital District.

“It is essential that high school students develop marketable 21st century skills that will encourage their success in college, the work force, or military,” he said. “eSports fosters opportunities for students to work as a team, practice time management, improve communication skills and develop as a leader. Our gaming club has already participated in tournaments including League of Legends, Black Ops, Madden, Fortnite, and various game marathons,” said Dylan Thomarie, eSports coordinator for the Johnstown Central School District.”