Checkmate chess club, Quebec students to compete in new gaming league

Kids are heading back to school next week and with that comes a return to extracurricular activities.

Playing on a sports team, singing in a choir or joining a chess club may be thenorm, but some students aren't interested in thosetraditional activities.

Instead, they're drawn to video games, and there's now a new option that turns electronic gaming into a competitive activityfor high school students up throughuniversity.

The Quebec Federation of Electronic Sports has launched a volunteer-run program aimed at providing students a way interact while playing video games students across the province can sign up in small groups to compete against each other.

The Ligue Cyber Espoirs (LCE) allows students to represent their school through an activitythey are passionate about, said MaryseLandreville, the program's director.

"We got some students who were asking us to do something to stay in school because they were not interested in basketball or hockey teams or dance or arts," Landreville told CBC Montreal's Daybreakon Friday.

"They wanted to represent their school, but they didn'tknow how."

'School versus school'

In the making for two years, teams from 15 high schools, 10 CEGEPs and five universities have signed onthis year.

"It's school versus school," said Landreville.

If students are interested in taking part, they can speak with a teacher or the person in charge of school activities before inviting players to join the team, she said. Those teams can then registerthrough the gaming federation's website.

Teams will be playing three popular,team-oriented, multiplayer games this year: Overwatch, Rocket League and League of Legends.

Like sports games, the school year will be filled with scheduled matches between particpating schools. Those matches will be held fromabout September through April, then there will be a playoff leading up to a large-scale final held in Montreal.

There is a fee to join this non-profit initiative, which goes towardsfundingstreaming services and thefinal match.

Not every school has the money to invest in gaming platforms for an entire team, said Landreville, but students can play at home.

Team members will be expected to interact with each other through voice chatting, she said.Players will be asked to play to their strengths, taking on positions in the gaming world that they might take on a sports field defence, support or attack.

Teamwork crucial in gaming

"It's really important to have to have that team spirit and to know what your teammates are best at," said Landreville.

Communication is the key to success, she said. Students will need to discuss and plan strategies that work in the days leading up to matches.

"If they don't communicate, they will lose. That's why we encourage them to do other activities together to make that team spirit."

While practicing with the team is important, she said the LCE is promotinga balance between video games, homework and spending time with family.

Students will be encouraged to set a weekly schedule that includes gaming, but also school work and socializing.

"They will only have one or two matches a week," said Landreville.

"Our goal is that the kid will stay in school."

With files fromCBCMontreal'sDaybreak