As the saying goes, everyone has to start somewhere.
What is collegiate esports?
MIIS Student Council was responsible for putting together a recent collegiateValoranttournament: the IGNITE Valorant Invitational Tournament.
It was hard but worth it.
Events like the IGNITE Valorant Invitational Tournament are important.
After all, professional football players dont just rise up from nothing and start competing in national events.
It also facilitates seasonal college seasons for both Valorant and League of Legends.
Esports organisers who keep an eye on collegiate events can find rising stars in the making.
Colleges can pat themselves on the back for producing highly-skilled esports players who bring home medals and other achievements.
Its hard to deny the potential of collegiate esports, but its not easy to act on it either.
Game developers like Riot have taken a direct interest in collegiate events themselves, but this doesnt always happen.
Without sufficient funds and erudite counsel, where do these events get their prize money?
How do they subsidise their gaming equipment?
How do their students balance their gaming careers and regular education?
Even with the schools help, the IGNITE Valorant Invitational Tournament wasnt exactly easy to put together.
It was like seeing your heroes in real life.
Still, the ex-President - who graduated shortly after this event was held - isnt devoid of regrets.
He notes that from the audiences perspective, it seemed like a good turnout, despite many technical difficulties.
Most people had fun, went home with consolation prizes and overall, had a good time.
As an organiser, however, he thinks it could have been better.
