Lakeland esports is known for having a variety of talented and committed players when it comes to gaming. This semester, the Lakeland esports team was fortunate enough to not only have the chance to win 3 championships but also able to win a national championship this semester. Lakeland was able to make this achievement with not only their players for the teams but also the leadership of their coach Brett Sheldon. He took over the esports team when Ahman Green took his leave of absence to pursue other careers outside of Lakeland University. When taking over, Brett put his dedication into his players in hopes of making opportunities for them in the future. He believes that esports offer students a way to be structured but also allows students to meet new people on campus to make connections.
Esports, like all other sports, meet requirements when pursuing to play and be a part of the team. To Coach Sheldon, there are standards that athletes have to be able to hold in order to compete, such as having a respectable GPA and good academic standing. With these requirements it allows students to not only keep up with their academics but allow for them to build habits to help with their success.
After having the chance to win three championships, his next goal is to go further into the future for the esports team. “One large goal I have for our program is to hit 50 concurrent students every year. I think that number of students will allow us to be competitive in every title that we have and to have longevity for the future.”
With the teams earning the chance for championships there are hopes that this will slowly build traction for potential sponsors for the program. Sponsors help the program in multiple ways, such as recruiting and helping the purchase of needed equipment.
“As we have more success, I am hopeful that we will have more companies that are willing to support what we are working to accomplish. Another big goal for me is eventually reaching the point of being able to offer full-ride scholarships for potential students who will attend Lakeland. As we grow, the support for our program hopefully will as well.”
Esports is growing rapidly in popularity for all to enjoy and play as an official sport. It offers competitive play and team building for individuals who become a part of it. While joining as a college student it offers many opportunities to them while pursuing their degrees for their future.