Owner of the Frisco location Saurabh Aggarwal said Frisco’s alias, Sports City USA, makes it the perfect place for the esports industry. Esports, or electronic sports, is competitive, multiplayer video gaming, often played by professionals. With the rise in popularity, there are increased options for kids to play at the middle, high school and college level. At the collegiate level, students who are especially skilled can even receive esports scholarships.
About XP League Frisco
XP League Frisco provides a safe, positive environment for kids to hone their skills and make new friends.
“We want to bring a positive experience for kids to learn life and leadership skills, get away from playing in silos and into a more social setup,” Aggarwal said. “There’s a lot of opportunity to develop the pool of talent.”
XP League is the first esports program to partner with the Positive Coaching Alliance, and coaches set the highest standard for competitive youth gaming. XP League is also accredited with STEM.org, an education research organization that supports and credentials companies teaching STEM education methods. From recreational players to advanced competitive teams, all athletes are welcome to the pro-level experience for gamers ages 7-17.
League Commissioner and Head Coach Grant Brady said both he and Community Manager Greg Bunch come from collegiate esports backgrounds. Esports is more than playing video games; it’s learning to work on a team, developing communication and collaboration skills and learning how to manage responsibilities, he said.
“As educators, we’re teaching kids life skills,” Brady said. “For some students, this is their first time being on a team and learning how to communicate in a group. Other players may have never had a job before, and being in a league teaches them how to manage responsibilities.”
Developing skills and garnering opportunities
Esports is more than playing a game. At XP League Frisco, kids will learn the technology and computer skills needed to compete in today’s most popular games, including:
- sportsmanship
- teamwork and social skills
- strategic thinking
- coordination
- multi-tasking skills
- problem solving
- Improved focus
- quicker brain function
The field of competitive professional gaming has grown significantly in the last 20 years. The industry expansion has spurred the creation of a number of professional leagues as well as high school teams. XP League Frisco offers students the opportunity to get a headstart on the competition for the new sport.
While parents might be skeptical of their kids joining an esports team, there are now scholarships available for college students and expanding opportunities for students to play on competitive teams at the middle and high school level, Brady said.
Like any traditional sport, students start small and work their way up as their skills improve. Brady said being in an esports league is similar to playing on a baseball team—kids start out with tee ball and practice their skills before joining a school-affiliated team or playing more competitively at the club level.
“We’re creating a healthy environment for kids to nurture something that they enjoy doing,” Brady said. “We also want parents to see that this is a pipeline for students to continue with esports and get scholarships or partial payment for their education.”
Joining the league
Bunch said interested youth don’t need to have played video games before.
“This is an amazing place to explore their interests and opportunities within the games and what that can lead to,” Bunch said.
For parents who aren’t sure what or who their kids are interacting with online, XP League Frisco is providing a safe, positive environment for kids to play in a social setting. In addition, the league will serve as a community of shared interests kids can be a part of.
Aggarwal said as a parent himself, he wants to help educate parents about the positive impact being in an esports league can have on children. By having their kids join the league, Aggarwal said he hopes parents will see that esports is a positive activity with a viable future.
“Some children might not play traditional sports, and that may mean they don’t have a social community around them,” Aggarwal said. “This is a pathway to a social community and lifelong friendships.”
To learn more about XP League Frisco, visit the open house on Dec. 7 from 4-7pm where parents can sign up for free coaching sessions for their children. Find more information on the XP League Frisco website. Parents and students alike can keep up with the company’s latest news through social media. Visit XP League Frisco’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and Twitter for the latest details. To enroll or book a free coaching session, call 682-888 4407 or email [email protected].
The above story was produced by Senior Multi Platform Journalist Summer El-Shahawy with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
