RECENT NEWS
OVER 60 ALASKA HIGH SCHOOLS CURRENTLY ON WAITLIST TO BUILD ESPORTS PROGRAMS WITH PLAYVS
LOS ANGELES, CA – September 18, 2019 – Today, PlayVS furthers its mission to bring esports to high schools nationwide by announcing Alaska as the newest addition to its roster of partnered states. The current waitlist to build an interscholastic esports program with PlayVS is over 13,000 schools long — 68% of all high schools — and spans across all 50 US states. This puts esports on par with traditional programs like football, which is available in 14,247 schools.
Read the Press Release »
An advisor is an individual that works in a school’s activity program and has direct supervision of students. Beginning with the 2019-20 school year Esports advisors will be required to complete the NFHS Concussion Awareness and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Courses.
(See ASAA Bylaw Article 10)
Concussion in Sports $0
Sudden Cardiac Arrest $0
INTRODUCTION
During its April meeting the ASAA Board of Directors approved the sanctioning of Esports “contingent on there not being any “first-person shooter games” permitted.” ASAA has entered into an agreement with Play Versus, Inc. (PlayVS) to coordinate the seasons for us. Currently we are planning on three game options: League of Legends, Rocket League and Smite. Other games may be added or used to replace these in the future.
There will be a fall season running from September 30 until December 14, with the “playoffs” beginning on January 6. The playoffs will conclude January 18. The Board will set the official dates for the later season during its October Board meeting but it will basically run from late February to early May.
WHAT IS ESPORTS?
Esports officially stands for electronic sports, not to be confused with video games. It’s much more than that. What sets it apart is the level of organized competitive gameplay between teams and its own strict set of rules and guidelines. Esports is about teamwork, communication, strategic thinking and leadership — in all the same ways that traditional sports are and then some.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
- The 2019 Fall Season will begin on September 30, 2019 (with a scrimmage slated for the week of October 7th, 2019) and end the week of December 9th, 2019. Playoffs will take place in January 2020.
- Each school is required to have an Esports coach who is onsite for all official matches.
- Each school is able to build as many teams as they’d like. Rocket League is played in teams of three, while SMITE and League of Legends is played in teams of five.
- Each student needs the following: one computer/laptop and one set of peripherals (mouse, keyboard, headset). Students can use their own, or schools could provide these. Jerseys are optional.
- The participation fee for each student is $64/season.
SIGN UP
• Get started on PlayVS.com
RESOURCES
• What is Esports?
• PlayVS Playbook – How to Start your Esports Program
• PlayVS Hardware – Network Specifications
• How Does the PlayVS League Work
• Parents Guide to High School Esports
GET HELP
• PlayVS Help Center
ASAA HANDBOOK
• Esports Policies and Procedures
• Coaches Code of Ethics
SEASONS
2019 FALL SEASON SCHEDULE
PRE-SEASON
Week of: 9/30/2019 (First Practice)
Week of: 10/07/2019 (Scrimmage on the PlayVS platform)
REGULAR SEASON
( Determines each team’s stats and standings for entering the Playoffs Season)
Week 1: 10/14/2019
Week 2: 10/21/2019
Week 3: 10/28/2019
Week 4: 11/04/2019
Week 5: 11/11/2019
Week 6: 11/18/2019
Week 7: 12/02/2019
Week 8: 12/09/2019
PLAYOFFS
Begin week of January 6, 2020
Championships: TBD
2020 SPRING SEASON SCHEDULE
Official dates TBD
ABOUT THE GAMES
Rocket League is a sports-action game that combines soccer with driving. Students will compete in teams of three to score as many goals as they can in a five-minute match. The game’s combination of familiar objectives and fresh mechanics made it an instant hit in the gaming world.
SMITE is a multiplayer online battle arena where players pilot mythological characters and fight for control of a three-lane map. Teams of five players must work together to level up their characters and secure map objectives to siege the enemy’s base and defeat the opposing Titan. SMITE offers a third-person perspective which is unique in the genre.
League of Legends combines the speed and intensity of a real-time strategy game with role playing game elements, as two teams of five compete head-to-head across multiple battlefields and game modes. Each player has a specific role and must support one another to succeed.