Wildcats Esports league is starting to gain momentum

MARQUETTE, Mich. – With contact sports on hold, students are finding creative ways to still become better teammates.

The Northern Michigan University Esports league is quickly gaining momentum in a sport that appears to have a bright future.

Northern Michigan University’s new sports team has not been impacted by COVID-19 to the same level as other sports because it can be adapted to an alternative format. The team opened its first season with a 3-1 record before the semester break.

Though they weren’t able to attend any local area network (LAN) party events in person, the Wildcats were able to engage in competitions and scrimmages with other schools and amateur organizations.

“They don’t have the structure that traditional sports have” says NMU coach William Garetto-Balmer, “In the sense that the players have been getting better and better as an individual. They have never been part of a team before, and in Esports when you want to improve as a player you have to think me, me, me; you have to think how can be the best I can be, you don’t think how can I be the best teammate I can be. So you just have to learn how to make them a better teammate than just a player.”

The Wildcats schedule continues to develop but they are coming of a 2-0 victory against Cornell College this past Saturday.