Middle School Esports is Now FREE through PlayVS
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MHSEL Middle School Esports Now FREE Through PlayVS
The Michigan High School Esports League is excited to introduce our Middle School Scholastic Esports program! Through our partnership with PlayVS, we are able to offer a statewide middle school league FREE of charge. This is a great opportunity for middle school students to learn softskills (collaboration, communication and teamwork) in a format they love – online gaming!
Online gaming is hugely popular nationwide, but the State of Michigan is actually a leader in this area. Almost all of Michigan’s colleges and universities have esports programs and they are building arenas for gaming as well as offering college scholarships.
At the high school level, MHSEL has successfully been facilitated by MASSP & MASC/MAHS in partnership with PlayVS for the past four years. The high school league currently has 164 schools, 700+ teams and over 3,000 students engaged! Running our Michigan middle school league on the same platform as the high school league will allow for a seamless experience. We are excited for middle school students to experience the benefits of participating in scholastic esports.
"This free & exciting after-school opportunity will provide a safe and secure outlet for middle school students to explore their passion for video games through an established and highly-rated online platform that many high schools across the state are already using," said Ryan Cayce, MHSEL Director.
We know you may have questions and we are hosting two virtual informational sessions this August to get schools up to speed; August 13 and 22 for Esports 101. Additionally, please fill out our interest survey and review our FAQs below.
What is the cost to participate?
FREE! There is no cost to compete starting in Fall 2024.
What game titles will be offered?
We have confirmed the following game titles and anticipate adding more options. Participating schools will have the option of selecting which games they would like to offer to students.
- Rocket League
- NBA 2K
- Chess
What ages/grade levels can compete?
Students in grades 6-8 can participate. Any student under age 13 will need parent/adult permission.
Is MHSEL COPPA compliant?
Yes! MHSEL Middle School Esports will run through the PlayVS platform which is COPPA compliant.
Who will be managing the league?
The MHSEL is operated by MASSP and MASC/MAHS in partnership with PlayVS (our platform provider). Ryan Cayce is the Director of MHSEL and will be overseeing management of MHSEL Middle School Esports. He can be contacted at ryan@massp.com.
What are the dates for the fall '24 season?
- Enrollment Closes:
9/20/24 - Preseason:
Weeks of 9/9/24 & 9/16/24 - Regular Season:
Weeks of 9/23/24 - 12/9/2024
Will there be an in-person event for MHSEL Middle School?
Esports will be a new experience for the majority of schools who will join the league. We anticipate waiting until Spring 2025 to hold an in-person championship to allow teams to get acclimated and to onboard more schools.
If students are interested in seeing what live esports looks like, they can attend the MHSEL High School championship event being held at Michigan State University on December 7; more details forthcoming.
What hardware/network requirements does my school need to run an Esports team?
Depending on the game title, teams can compete on PCs (Desktop or Laptops) or consoles (PS5, Nintendo Switch, etc.) Be sure to work with your IT/Network Administrator and create a plan for allowing access to popular game publisher websites like Epic, Riot, Steam, etc., as well as console devices brought from home. For more details on network/IT requirements click here.
What equipment do we need?Depending on need and capacity, there are a variety of ways to support an esports program. Computer labs and media centers make great esports locations after school. Older machines can receive upgraded graphic cards, RAM, etc. and machines used during the day (i.e. Credit Recovery) typically make good after school options. Additional monitors or TVs are ideal as well. Allowing students to bring their own devices from home is also a viable option that many schools allow.
Looking to buy new? Consider shopping the REMC catalog which now features esports equipment.
Who should coach?
Anyone can coach! Staff members, parents or even local college esports athletes can all help run a program, regardless of experience or background knowledge. Gaming tends to be something where the students are the experts! Schools around the state are choosing to put esports under athletics or clubs and are providing a schedule B contract. The time commitment will vary depending on the size of the program and the number of games (leagues) the students participate in.
I am ready to start a Middle School esports team – how do I sign up?
Contact PlayVS Middle School Specialist, Eric Sutor at eric.sutor@playvs.com to enroll.
I need more information to get started, what do I do?
Please fill out our interest survey and sign up for one of the Esports 101 Webinars MHSEL and PlayVS are hosting together in August. Buttons are below.
Additional Resources: Explore PlayVs Middle School FAQs here.
Ryan Cayce
Director of Esports
810-404-3322
ryan@mhsel.org
This league hosted by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals and the Michigan Association of Student Councils and Michigan Association of Honor Societies in partnership with PlayVS.