Teen Addicted to Video Games Lands College Scholarship as Gamer

The parents of a teenager at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) used to worry about the time their son spent playing video games. Now, the gaming addict, Eric Jackman, is using his abilities by securing a college scholarship and giving honor to his school for being one of the top-ranking gamers in the league.

Jackman told WCPO that his parents have finally seen that many opportunities can come from video gaming, and they do not have to be concerned about paying for his education anymore. He also feels their support now more than ever, especially after his current placement at "Rocket League," an eSports soccer game, where barely two percent of gamers worldwide have achieved a top ranking.

The young scholar is part of NKU's new Varsity eSports Program, which recently hired a new director, Shanda Harris, to help the students improve their knowledge of the business side of the game. The new instructor said there are many misconceptions about eSports despite being such a lucrative and stable industry.

Some of the most successful eSports gamers earn over $420,000 a year. In Denmark, a young player recently covered a $7 million payday after winning a competition.

Harris is hoping her students at NKU will also have the same success. She also advised parents to be open-minded about video gaming and not discourage their kids because it could lead to a great career.

NKU opens The Sandbox

In 2021, NKU officially opened The Sandbox, an innovation lab for gamers to practice and compete and for streamers and content producers to use as their studio. The facility has 11 state-of-art gaming stations and several monitors where spectators may watch the competitions as they happen.

In light of the pandemic, Dean Jim Buss told NKY Tribune that Collegiate eSports have had an explosion in the last three years, as more students have been online. With this new facility, NKU hopes to help more student gamers find a path in the eSports industry, so they were also offered scholarships.

While the school is doing well in "Rocket League," it is setting its sights on forming an "Overwatch" varsity team this fall. The school also has a "Call of Duty," "Fornite," and "Valorant" team. NKU is a member of the National eSports Collegiate Conference and the National Association of Collegiate eSports, giving students and scholars more chances to network with fellow gamers.

eSports is a highly mental game

In Chicago, kids between 14 to early 20s also compete professionally in eSports. For instance, the team at BHOP eSports Gaming Community Center is ranked 9th in America. They have been honing their skills for their competition against young players in Canada on September 23. The money pot for this "Valorant" competition is $10,000.

"What a lot of people don't realize is that eSports highly depends on your mental ability," Jake Younan, 29, of the BHOP, said, per WBEZ. As with any traditional athlete, diet and sleep are also vital to his performance in the game.

Younan started competing in eSports when he was in high school. He had a scholarship from Robert Morris University but then retired as a gamer before the pandemic. However, Younan returned after a two-year hiatus and saw how much gamers are getting more respect and recognition as a legitimate profession.