>> Tati: WHEN YOU THINK OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS, YOU
ENVISION FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL,
OR SOCCER, BUT HAVE YOU EVER
CONSIDERED COMPETITIVE GAMING?
I HAVE, AS SOON AS I FOUND OUT
HOW MUCH THEY MAKE.
AT NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY, IN
MIDLAND, THEY’RE STARTING AN
INKNOW VEY SIEVE PROGRAM.
ANDY FROM DEAN OF STUDENT
AFFAIRS AND THE HEAD COACH
FROM NORTHWOOD.
FROM NORTHWOOD. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
>> Tati: DESCRIBE THE E-SPORTS
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM. >> IT’S SPECIALLY GAMING AT
ITS HIGHEST LEVEL OF SKILL.
SO IT’S AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE
YOU HAVE TEAMS COMMUNICATING
AND CREATING STRATEGIES AND
COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER
NOT ONLY ONLINE BUT AT
PERSONAL EVENTS AS WELL.
IT’S CRITICAL THINKING.
>> AND THAT’S ONE OF THE BIG
REASONS WE WANTED TO START IT
AT NORTHWOOD, WE PRIDE
OURSELVES IN TRAINING LEADERS
AT NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY, AND
LEADERSHIP IS A HUGE PART OF
THAT, MUCH LIKE OTHER ATHLETIC
PROGRAMS, TEAMS ARE FORMED,
COMPETE TOGETHER, COMPETE
AGAINST OTHER TEAMS, HAVE TO
COMMUNICATE, THINGS LIKE THAT,
AND A KEY PIECE TO STARTING
THIS FALL, WE’RE LAUNCHING OUR
CYBER SECURITY PROGRAM AS
WELL.
WELL. SO THE TIE-IN WAS PERFECT.
>> Tati: SO WE HAVE A FEW GAME
CONTROLLERS HERE WHICH MANY
PEOPLE HAVE AT HOME, BUT THIS
IS NOT WHAT YOU’RE WORKING
WITH, RIGHT?
WITH, RIGHT? >> CORRECT.
>> CORRECT. I’LL LEAVE THIS TO CODY.
>> MOST PEOPLE AT HOME ARE
USING A XBOX, PLAY STATION, A
CONSOLE.
CONSOLE. THE MAJORITY OF GAMES BLADE
WITH THE KEYBOARD.
XBOX AND NINTENDO SWITCH,
YOU’LL SEE THIS AT HOME.
THE MACHINES THEMSELVES HAVE
SO MUCH MORE CAPABILITIES IN
TERMS OF A CONSOLE.
SO THAT’S WHY YOU SEE THEM AT
THE HIGHEST LEVEL BEING USED
WITH A KEYBOARD AND MOUSE.
>> Tati: AND WHAT ARE THE
COMPETITIONS LIKE?
COMPETITIONS LIKE? >> YOU HAVE -- THE ENVIRONMENT
IS DIFFERENT, YOU HAVE THE
COMPETITIONS ONLINE OR OUT OF
OFFICIAL LEAGUE PATCHES BUT
TEND TO BE IN PERSON.
AND WE WILL BE FLYING ACROSS
THE COUNTRY TO COMPETE AGAINST
OTHER COLLEGES IN THE
COMPETITIONS.
COMPETITIONS. AND IT’S AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE
THERE’S TONS OF COMMUNICATION
AND STRATEGY AND I’M COACHING
AND GUIDING THEM THROUGH THE
MATCHES, AND THAT’S WHAT IT
LOOKS LIKE.
LOOKS LIKE. >> Tati: THEY LOOK EXCITING.
WHERE WILL THEY BE TRAINING?
>> WE DECIDED TO DO OUR
TRAINING FACILITY RIGHT ON
CAMPUS.
CAMPUS. WE’LL BUILD AND STARTING
CONSTRUCTION ON THAT THIS
SUMMER, A 2500-SQUARE-FOOT
TRAINING FACILITY THAT WILL BE
LARGE ENOUGH TO HOST TRAINING
FOR OUR OWN TEAM, COMPETITIONS
FOR OUR OWN TEAM, POTENTIALLY
CAMPS AND SOME TOURNAMENTS FOR
OUTSIDE TEAMS TO COME TO OUR
CAMPUS.
CAMPUS. >> Tati: THIS IS VERY COOL.
THIS IS NOT A VARSITY PROGRAM,
NOT A CLUB.
>> IT IS A VARSITY PROGRAM,
NOT A CLUB.
>> Tati: AND WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
WOULD YOU TAKE ME?
I’M KIDDING.
I’M KIDDING. >> WE’RE PART OF THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, THE GOVERNING
BODY OF VARSITY SPORTS AT THE
COLLEGIATE LEVEL, AND WE ABIDE
BY THEIR STANDARDS FOR
ELIGIBLE.
ELIGIBLE. AND SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL
COMING IN FOR THE FALL ARE
ELIGIBLE.
ELIGIBLE. I SCOUT AND RECRUIT LIKE ANY
TRADITIONAL PROGRAM.
TRADITIONAL PROGRAM. SCOUTING, SCHOLARSHIPS, ALL OF
THAT.
THAT. >> Tati: SO THERE ARE
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE?
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE? >> YES.
>> YES. >> Tati: THERE ARE MEN ALL
OVER THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW
SAYING, I COULD HAVE MADE THIS
A CAREER IF YOU HAD JUST
HELPED ME OUT AND SUPPORTED
ME.
ME. >> AND WOMEN, TOO.
THAT’S ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT
OUR PROGRAM, I’M PASSIONATE
ABOUT GETTING MORE WOMEN
INVOLVED IN GAMING, IT’S ABOUT
A 6-4 RATIO OF MEN TO WOMEN.
AND WE’RE MAKING STRIDES AND I
THINK YOU’LL START TO SEE MORE
OF A BALANCED DEMOGRAPHIC.
>> Tati: AND IT’S REGULAR
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SCHOOL?
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> JUST LIKE AN ATHLETIC
SCHOLARSHIP.