Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 12/18/2023
LUDLOW — The Ludlow Community Center/Randall Boys and Girls Club unveiled the new esports lab with a grand opening on Dec. 5.
The setup includes multiple consoles and gaming PCs with different games, 3D printers and board role-playing table games like Dungeons and Dragons.
Ludlow Boys and Girls STEAM Coordinator John Regan said, “We’re setting up an esports program because we have a lot of great kids here at the club but a lot of them sort of filter out when they become teenagers and we would like to keep them in the community and stay connected and video games is where kids are at right now.”
Regan will look to have competitions and tournaments within the community or against other Boys and Girls Clubs in the country who also have an esports program.
He added that the hope is to start a league at the club early next year to host practices and compete in tournaments.
Regan said, “The hope is to create a place where kids can come and safely play video games. It’s a safe place for kids to do what they are already doing and make sure that they are learning something along the way.”
Esports is a growing industry where gamers can individually or as part of a team take part in an organized competition in an electronic game.
“The nice thing about this is it isn’t kids playing games mindlessly for hours. This is much more like traditional athletic programs. It helps to develop fine motor skills, strategic planning, social and emotional skills and teamwork,” Regan added.