Understanding Collegiate Esports: A Practitioner's Guide to Developing Community and Competition

by Jennifer Lee Hoffman (Editor), Regena Pauketat (Editor), Kelsey A. Varzeas (Editor)

Overview

As esports is one of the new and rapidly growing sports programs at the collegiate level, today’s campus leaders are increasingly asked to navigate the complexity of esports. This practical volume helps higher education professionals understand the expanding role of collegiate esports, describing the ecosystem of college esports and the experience for college players, as well as the connections between gaming and career preparation. Chapter authors offer an overview and practical look at the main structures and issues facing collegiate esports programs, athletes, and administrators. Chapters address the needs of the campus gaming community, building gender and racial inclusivity, athlete health, amateurism and the esports athlete, the role of the technology industry, governance, career paths, and coaching. This cutting-edge volume offers information to support campus leaders and practitioners in building and expanding collegiate esports programs in the quickly growing and changing aspects of both online and face-to-face campus communities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032210575
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/08/2022
Pages:	186
Sales rank:	455,694
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jennifer Lee Hoffman is an Associate Professor of Educational Foundations, Leadership, and Policy and faculty in the Center for Leadership in Athletics at the University of Washington, USA. Dr. Hoffman was the recipient of ASHE’s 2021 Special Merit Award.

Regena Pauketat is a doctoral student of Educational Foundations, Leadership, and Policy and a Research Assistant in the Center for Leadership in Athletics at the University of Washington, USA.

Kelsey A. Varzeas is a doctoral candidate of Higher Education and Student Affairs at The Ohio State University, USA.

Table of Contents

Foreword: Karen Weaver

Preface: Jennifer Lee Hoffman, Regena Pauketat, & Kelsey A. Varzeas

Chapter One: Video Games Go to College by Jennifer Lee Hoffman & Tricia Seifert

Chapter Two: Shifting the Narrative: Using Esports to Amplify Historically Black Colleges & Universities by Wayne L. Black & Kishonna L. Gray

Chapter Three: "It’s Just Part of The Game": Confronting Toxicity in Esports and Building Inclusive Environments by Regena Pauketat

Chapter Four: Mental Health and Wellness for the Esports Student Athlete by Kelsey A. Varzeas

Chapter Five: Coaching in Esports: Promoting Well-Being & Performance by Yeonhee Cho, Eric S. Cohen, Autumn E. Freund, Jason Yip, & Jin Ha Lee

Chapter Six: (E)sports Medicine on Campus by Lindsey Migliore

Chapter Seven: Organizing and Governing Collegiate Esports by David Welch Suggs. Jr.

Chapter Eight: Community, Career, & Competition: The University of Washington and the Future of Esports Program Building by Justin Camputaro, Trevor Whiton, Jason Hansen, & Adam Serafin

Chapter Nine: Establishing a Conference Esports Program and Related Legal Issues For Collegiate Esports by Carolayne Henry

Editorial Reviews

"Understanding Collegiate Esports offers a blueprint for building esports programs rooted in positive community and productive competition. Throughout the book, the chapter authors provide historical context on how we have found ourselves in our current iteration of esports in ways that honor the lived experiences of those the gaming industry and esports have systematically marginalized. Understanding Collegiate Esports also provides hope with insightful recommendations and provocations to ensure that we co-construct a present and future version of esports that is diverse, equitable and inclusive while providing the sense of belonging that gaming has offered so many of us."

— Verta Maloney, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, the*gameHERs https://thegamehers.com/

"Understanding Collegiate Esports is something that every practitioner entering the world of collegiate esports should have on their bookshelves. My favorite sections have to deal with protecting the health and wellness of these athletes – this volume lists the most common physical/mental problems these athletes face and provides clear step-by-step solutions. I personally expect to be flipping back to these sections regularly. Bottom line: If you’re working with collegiate esports athletes, you need this book. Don’t let your program fall behind."

— Casey Thomas, RD, Founder, Gamer Diet, Performance Nutrition for Esports Athletes, https://gamerdiet.gg/

From the Publisher