Do esports students do more than play games?

Do esports students do more than play games? 5 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Danny Fullbrook Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire Getty Images Playing video games in college may seem unusual, but for many teenagers across the country, it could lead to professional careers. Students at Central Bedfordshire College have just finished their first year of the Level 3 Pearson BTEC in esports, the first time the college has offered such a course. While gaming is a key part of the learning, students also study a broad range of modules designed to prepare them for work both inside and outside competitive gaming. These can include psychology to understand how the brain reacts under pressure, alongside nutrition and fitness to ensure they have the energy to compete effectively. Lead lecturer Hugo Cousin, 25, says the course is designed to bridge the gap between a hobby and a professional career. "The purpose of this course is not to take people who want to do gaming and just do gaming, it's to take people who've got an interest in gaming and esports and turn that into practical work experience and a practical career," he explains. Kian Boyle/BBC Hugo Cousin runs the course and has a background in competitive esports Students practise and learn tactics in games such as Valorant, Marvel Rivals and Fortnite, but the course extends far beyond playing. Students also organise their own esports events, taking responsibility for video production, broadcasting, commentary and tournament marketing. They even work together to design the jerseys worn by the college's competitive teams. Alongside that, students explore ideas such as how exercise can improve gaming performance and how anxiety can be managed in competitive settings. Cousin continues: "Overall, the esports course teaches a lot of communication, teamwork and social skills. "It's also quite technology focused... they're learning how to use video editing software, programming languages, recording software- those kinds of technical skills can be quite useful for various types of careers." Kian Boyle/BBC Students at Central Bedfordshire College play games as part of their course, but also learn other skills such as marketing, video editing and commentating When 16-year-old Alfie Humphrey first visited the college, he had planned to do a traditional sports course, but changed direction when he found the esports programme. He found the academic side of the course surprising, noting there are "lots of different things that I wouldn't think go into like just playing games". The teenager says: "I learned a lot about psychology, I think that's my favourite part." He plans to continue with esports at a university level so he can learn about the industry "more in depth". Alfie views higher education as an opportunity to "pick up some more skills" while he continues to "figure out what I want to do still". Marvel Games/NetEase Students play games such as Valorant, Fortnite and Marvel Rivals