Baylor University is a powerhouse in multiple college sports, and is hoping to add some video game championships to its trophy case as well. Waco's KWTX is reporting that Baylor has esports aspirations, and has hired Coach Adam Stanley to make them come true.
Stanley coached teams to championships in Valorant, Fortnite, and Rocket League at Brewton Parker, a Georgia-based Baptist college.
"We're going to have practice plans every day," Stanley said. "We're going to review film. We're going to have mandatory study sessions. We're going to lift weights and workout. We're going to watch what we eat. We're going to have a schedule, a routine just like the varsity athletes of other traditional sports.
Baylor started this journey by hosting the Texas Esports Fall Finals in December. Just as with the numerous high school basketball exhibitions throughout the country, hosting these tournaments gives schools a chance to show off their resources to potential students.
In spite of that, Stanley isn't certain he'll have an esports squad ready by the fall. It that doesn't happen, Baylor will continue working with high school esports programs. Esports has become a booming business and colleges have noticed. Syracuse University even began offering an esports degree in 2023.
Tournaments for games such as League of Legends and Valorant put up numbers dwarfing traditional American sporting events. As a father of three young gamers, I've seen the dynamic change drastically over the past 20 years. My kids couldn't name a single person on their high school basketball team, and it's a state-ranked squad. But they could list no less than 10 of their favorite YouTubers, streamers, or pro players in their favorite games.
It's a whole new world, and I'm glad to see our colleges embracing that there's more than one way to be a student athlete.