Gaming has long been associated with out-of-shape 'nerds' who drink energy drinks and still live with their parents. That stereotype couldn't be further from the truth nowadays. E-athletes across the world compete for millions of dollars and in huge arenas full of screaming fans, just like any other traditional
Is esports the next big sport in Whanganui region?
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Whanganui Girls College have started using Minecraft as a way to educate their students across a variety of subjects. Photo / Supplied
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"We are the equivalent of NZ Rugby or NZ Football, any of those sporting organisations, and are there to represent the players and make sure the scene grows," said Jansen.
"It is quite exciting because we are one of the first western democracy countries to have that recognised sport status and that puts us ahead of the curve to places like Australia, the US; the others you look at in the space."
The definition of esports is fairly loose, but any video game played competitively with rewards/prizes for winning can fall under that umbrella.
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There is a difference between gaming and esports, just like there was a difference between someone swimming at the beach or racing someone in the pool.
While they are the same activities, the intent is slightly different.
"Gaming is going home, sitting on the couch and just playing for a bit. Esports is the teamwork, communication, dedication, grinding through and pushing through for your teammates, it's those sport values we see in traditional sports," said Jansen.
According to a 2022 survey by Digital New Zealand, 3.7 million New Zealanders play video games, with the average age being 35.
Seventy-five per cent of those people say they played video games for the social aspect.
Games such as League of Legends, Valorant, Defense of the Ancients 2 (known as DOTA), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Fortnite, NBA2K, FIFA and fighting games such as Street Fighter are some of the biggest and most popular games in the world, drawing millions of viewers on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
The establishment of NZESF has come at an opportune time, with an esports tournament set to run alongside the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England this August.
Jansen said to have that kind of recognition only reaffirms esports is here to stay and that this is just the beginning.
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"I think it is a really big deal, but not so much for gamers. I think it is a bigger deal for the parents, the schools, and it is a bigger deal to those who say esports isn't a sport."
Sport Whanganui CEO Danny Jonas said things like hand-eye coordination, teamwork and communication were all as applicable to esports as they were traditional sports.
While he has no worries recognising it as a sport, Jonas said it does go a bit against their ethos.
"There could be some questions that come out of this. From my perspective, what impact will esports have on tamariki leisure time when we are trying to increase physical activity?
"How does the traditional sports world and esports world work together?
"There are maybe more questions than answers maybe at the moment. But the legitimacy of esports is here and you can see it all around the world."
The NZESF have specifically marked the Manawatū-Whanganui area as a region they are looking to develop.
Educating schools and parents around the potential benefits of esports is the first step in the development, Jansen said.
The next is ensuring the right infrastructure is in place to give local children and tamariki the best opportunity to engage with esports.
"Access is a serious issue," Jansen said.
"We don't want to create barriers for those who can't happen to afford these computers. There is so much social benefit from being in the same room as each other," said Jansen.
"Infrastructure is a problem right now and we are working towards it."
Whanganui's Francois 'Swace' Izatt has raised his hand to the NZESF as someone interested in helping grow esports in the region.
He has dreamed of setting up an esports facility since he moved to Whanganui seven years ago.
"There is a lot of stuff financially that makes it a big hurdle. If we can get the right backers who see it for what it is, not only a sport but a place to connect with others, then we are on to something."
Izatt said esports has barely been tapped into in Whanganui and the potential is huge.
"If you have the right structure in schools around esports, it will engage kids who aren't interested in traditional sports and will help with attendance.
He said if schools have an incentive for students, such as a 90 per cent attendance rate and you can compete in the schools esports team, that is a positive compromise.
"We know the current stigma around the gamer is bad, but what if we turn the gamer into an esports athlete?"
Having set training schedules, physical activity to work alongside esports and eating healthily are just some of the small things that can help swing the balance.
"There is a draw card between healthy gaming and unhealthy gaming."
Executive committee member of the NZESF and director of VictoryUP Henry Lawton said the idea of VictoryUP was born after he injured himself playing rugby.
An avid sportsman, Lawton wanted to find something that connected him with his friends while he was on the sidelines - an alternative avenue to compete against others.
"That was through video gaming. That was where we had that interaction and reconnection whilst also scratching that competitive itch in a sense."
VictoryUp offers tournaments across a range of games for New Zealanders as well as helping grow esports at the high school and grassroots level.
In 2019, VictoryUP piloted esports as a winter sport with the support of College Sport Wellington, Wellington's regional sporting body for secondary and tertiary education.
A total of 150 students from the Wellington region competed in the pilot programme, with Lawton happy with the foundation that was laid.
The programme was put on hold in 2020 due to uncertainty the impact of Covid-19 would have.
In 2021, the programme returned and was taken nationwide with 1280 students and 80 schools participating, making it the largest high school esports league to date.
"If you are at high school, it is just like any other sport. You are playing because you want to be good at it and you enjoy it. You play because you want bragging rights from the neighbouring school," said Lawton.
He hopes to roll the competition further across the country, including to Whanganui. The goal is to have 5000 players for 2022 and 10,000 competing in 2023.
"We are starting a big push into regions we haven't been able to tap into yet. A lot of that has been due to not being able to get to the regions in the last year due to Covid-19 and not being able to front the hard questions."
Jansen said he gets daily calls from schools and parents who are worried about possible addictions and risks associated with more screen time and technology.
"My response to that is, what is the risk in not being involved? Esports is a chance for us to engage with youth who are going to game anyway, but do it in a safe way and a way where we have all the positive benefits structured around it.
"The biggest thing we need is support from local business and Government. When I say support, I just mean understanding. It doesn't take much for us to have a conversation and for them to really understand. We are just looking for people with open minds."
Whanganui Girls College have started off their esports journey at the lower end, using the popular game Minecraft to teach students.
Minecraft is a 3-D computer game where players can build anything. The game has been described as like an "online Lego" and involves building blocks and creating structures across different environments and terrains.
Digital technology teacher Rachel Conley said they've used Minecraft to educate students about New Zealand history and geography, as well as chemistry and programming.
"They love it. They could spend hours on there. They just love being in there and building."
Some projects include students creating their school campus to make it easier for incoming Year 9 students to get around, or picking a time period from New Zealand history and recreating that past world.
Conley said they've looked into the esports side of Minecraft, where you compete as a team against another and have a race to build a specific structure.
The co-operative skills, working together as a team and relying on each other's unique skills are just some of the benefits Conley has seen.
Offering students who weren't athletically inclined a place where they can still compete and be part of a team was another big reason Conley liked esports.
"Even with my own kids, I struggle a bit understanding why they want to play so much. It's not a kid in a dark room playing at his mum's house, it has moved beyond that.
"Understanding what it is and what it is trying to achieve is important."
NZESF hope to run some regional tournaments in the next four months, with selectors looking at players who could become involved with the E-Blacks.
Jansen said, "It is not for everyone, and not every sport is for everyone. Those of us who are engaged in it, it is a really big deal.
"Potentially, we could see a Whanganui player put on a black jersey at the Commonwealth Games to represent New Zealand in esports."
