New E-ra in Hawaii high school sports

The two bright, green-and-yellow banners planted in a corner of the Leilehua library loudly proclaimed something that would’ve been deemed preposterous 10, five, or even two years ago.

“Mules Esports,” the banners read. Behind them, the setup was modest but unmistakable: two televisions connected to Xboxes. Two tables adorned with three laptop computers apiece, students with headsets raptly staring at the screens while manipulating a mouse and keyboard. Clicks, bleeps, bloops and music emanating.

Welcome to the “e-thlete” era of Hawaii high school sports.

Leilehua is one of 23 schools around the state — and counting — to adopt the rapidly growing national craze of esports, in which players compete in video games, either remotely or in person, to advance up a skill placement ladder or in a tournament to declare a champion, not unlike a traditional sport.

Here, it exists in a gray area between a club competition and a fully sanctioned sport. But the HHSAA would very much like to see it pushed into the latter, and in the near future. Official play between schools began last week through the third-party website PlayVS, which dubs itself “The Official High School Esports League.”

The Mules boast 12 players on their roster.

“Proud,” Dominic Castillo said of how he felt representing the school in “Rocket League.” The soph omore was previously in the archery club, but he and his brother Quinton played no official sports. “I get to play games to show not only we’re good at sports, well, athletic sports. Even mental sports, too, which are video games.”

Players may choose from three PC games for competition, but only one per person — “League of Legends,” “SMITE,” and “Rocket League” — to be held one afternoon a week through late April, followed by a postseason in mid-May.

The HHSAA’s plan is to have remote esports officially adopted by each of the five statewide leagues (OIA, ILH, KIF, MIL, BIIF), then execute a sanctioned state tournament as soon as next spring at a centralized location such as Hawaii Pacific University’s esports arena at its Aloha Tower campus.

“Something like this in a state like ours, where transportation costs are high … it’s a perfect fit,” HHSAA executive director Chris Chun said. “Kids can participate, they can use their teamwork, their coordination, there’s no transportation costs, everyone’s on a level playing field because of the way they have the filters and the setup. It just makes a lot of sense.”

This has been dubbed “Season Zero.” A dry run.

Not surprisingly, there have been some hiccups. While “League of Legends” got successfully underway through PlayVS matchmaking last week, “Rocket League” encountered connectivity problems and was pushed back to, at earliest, this week. And the call has been put out to more schools to field “SMITE” teams.

Quinton Castillo shrugged off some disappointment of having the Mules’ first official “Rocket League” match against the Vikings of Hilo High shelved on Thursday.

“It will be awesome to actually be the first ones to represent the school … in esports,” he said. “So, that’s going to be very exciting.”

Leilehua principal Jason Nakamoto paced around the esports wing anxiously during the attempted matchmaking. Skepticism lingered among some peers and school athletic directors when it was discussed over the past couple of years. (Video games in schools? Really?) But not for him and several others.

“Esports is just a venue, an opportunity for them to … be connected to the school in another way,” Nakamoto said. “It does lead to potential scholarship monies. If we can provide that opportunity for our kids, that’s what we’re all about. We’re just trying to be successful helping them transition to the next phase of their lives.”

An increasing number of colleges award esports scholarships, almost entirely for PC games. Leilehua esports coach Anthony Arneson, an HPU grad student who called around at the high schools to help link esports clubs, said there was $20 million worth in 2018.

The launch required creativity. Leilehua librarian Jenny Yamamoto said the school has raised about $15,000 for equipment through grant money applications (none from the school’s budget) from groups like the Schofield Wives Club. Now that she’s seen the payoff for the students, she’s hoping for $30,000 more.

“They’re very interested. I think they’ve been doing it on their own this whole time, so now it brings another aspect, and I think it’s an educational one,” Yamamoto said. “Because they’re coming together as a group now, and they haven’t been doing that.”

Hawaii is one of at least 15 states laying the groundwork for esports this school year, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. Connecticut was the first, in 2017-18.

“I’d like to think we’re all (locally) doing this together — one team, one state — and putting Hawaii on the map,” Nakamoto said.

HAWAII HIGH SCHOOL ESPORTS ‘SEASON ZERO’

>> Who: 23 schools statewide from all five leagues (5 OIA, 3 ILH, 3 KIF, 3 MIL, 9 BIIF).

>> What: Competition in three PC multiplayer games — “League of Legends”, “SMITE”, and “Rocket League.” Schools may have more than one team for each game, but each player must specialize in one game.

>> When: 4 p.m. on Tuesdays (“League of Legends”), Wednesdays (“SMITE”), and Thursdays (“Rocket League”) through April 22, postseason in mid-May.

>> Where: Campus sites for remote play via PlayVS website, but HHSAA looking at a central location for the state championship as soon as 2020.

>> Why: An explosion in esports popularity and corresponding rise in esports college scholarship opportunities. The Big Ten Conference now has an official “League of Legends” season. UC Irvine was the first public university to dedicate an esports arena in 2016. In 2017, HPU became the first in the state with an esports arena and esports scholarships. Forbes reported last year that the expected 2020 esports market value is $1.5 billion, up from $362 million in 2017.

GAMES

>> “League of Legends” and “SMITE” are what’s known as MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) games. Teams of players choose a mythological champion, use its powers to gain experience points and strength, and coordinate to battle the opposing team for control of a map.

>> “LoL,” released in 2009, is played from an overhead view, while “SMITE,” of 2014, features a third-person view. Both are typically played in teams of five.

>> “Rocket League,” a 2015 game, comes the closest of the three to a traditional sport — but one with a twist. Players on teams of two or three take control of vehicles within an enclosed arena and engage in a game of car soccer. The objective is to use skill (including aerial maneuvers) to knock the ball into the opponent’s goal more times than they do yours in a five-minute contest. In competitive play, winning three of five games takes the matchup.