New esports program at Vimy Ridge coaches kids to compete online

An Edmonton school is training a different kind of student athlete.

Vimy Ridge Academy launched an esports program this year, with curriculum tailored to teach kids career skills in the tech and video game sectors.

Esports are competitive multiplayer online video games, and teacher Joshua Hubert said the new program gives students many of the same skills that professional athletes learn.

"Communication is obviously key for team sports, so they're developing that here," he said. "A lot of it's very similar, right? Supporting a teammate, all that kind of thing."

There are 14 different program options offered at Vimy Ridge Academy, and students spend two-and-a-half hours of their school day focused on activities within their chosen program.

But Hubert said the 18 esports students in his class aren't only playing video games.

Around half the time is spent on field trips and health education, with training in general fitness, injury prevention and reflex building. Mental health is also part of the curriculum, with students learning about toxicity and burnout in the professional esports community.

"We want to teach them how to be respectful competitors, good citizens, respectful human beings," Hubert said, adding the skills taught are designed to prepare the kids for careers in the developing esports industry.

"It's a growing form of entertainment, which is what allows us to provide this kind of a program. It's a legitimate career path," Hubert said. "Even outside of esports tournaments, a lot of people are making careers streaming and being competitive gamers online."

Joaquin Lafuente is one the students in the new program, and he said esports are just like any other sport.

"It's not just about playing games," Lafuente said. "We have people come in here who have a professional job in this, and they tell us how it's going and what it's like."

"If you work hard enough and you're committed to it, you can definitely make a job out of it and it's definitely a goal of many people here to do that," he added.

Part of the program also involves tech sector skills, like programming, audio/visual design and computer engineering.

"It would be lovely if every kid in here went on to be an esports pro and made a lot of money, that's not the reality," Hubert said. "For those kids who don't, we want to engage them in alternative career paths."

Beyond job skills, Hubert said the program is also about community building and he feels lucky to be able to share his passion for esports with the class – something he never thought he would do as a teacher.

"I'm very lucky to be in a class like this," Hubert said. "The kids have come in with wonderful attitudes, very cohesive and welcoming with one another and it's been a great place for them to build community."

"I've got friends now and we all hang out," Lafuente said. ''It's just a really good place to be in to find people with similar interests."

For more information on the esports program, visit the Vimy Ridge Academy website.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson