Norwalk High School has many sports that it supports. Sports like football, softball, rugby, and, most recently, girls wrestling, take up most of the spotlight. However, there may be room for more. Many schools in the area have started to take up Esports as an alternative activity for some people.

Senior Aiden Funk said he would like it if Esports came to Norwalk. Funk described Esports as competitive video games. Games like Valorant, Super Smash Bros., and League of Legends could be popular choices.

“Any game can be competitive; it just depends on the game,” Funk said.

Josh Tobey, activities director at Norwalk High School, said that many nearby schools already have some form of Esports.

“The numbers are going up,” Tobey said.

Tobey expressed interest in bringing Esports to Norwalk. However, as with all activities, Esports can pose some challenges when trying to integrate them into a school.

“A unique challenge – it needs its own space,” Tobey said.

Esports not only needs space, but the hardware to keep up with the video games they might be playing. This would likely look like a computer lab or similar space. Additionally, the tech department would need to be available to assist if needed.

“We’re gonna go to them with a lot of questions,” Tobey said.

This would be an expensive process, and a sponsor and/or coach is a necessity. Support from the community and students would go a long way in bringing Esports here to Norwalk.

When asked what it might take to bring Esports to Norwalk, Tobey said it would be “driven by student support.”

Esports gives students more opportunities to be involved in activities they enjoy, according to Funk. He said this can go a long way in getting students involved and active, and communicating with a group of people.

Funk said Esports can give students an opportunity to improve their communication and teamwork skills. Even in a video game setting, communication is required. For some students, communication through the medium of Esports could be much easier for them.

“Communication is one of the most important things for Esports,” Funk said.

If this is something that you might be interested in, the process of bringing these to Norwalk could be started. It would likely go through the process of starting a club, and as the numbers and support grow, it could become a stand-alone activity.

Support is really the only thing holding Esports back here at Norwalk. Tobey said that once it becomes a club, and finds a sponsor and location, it could be realistic to have Esports at the high school. He said the opportunity is there “if the students and community are interested.”