Welcome to Esports

Esto fidelis et esto praeclarus
Be faithful and be excellent

What is Esports and Why Lipscomb?

Esports is a team of students competing in a specific game against another team of students, but it is also an opportunity for students to build community, experience the values of discipline and teamwork, practice sportsmanship, and enjoy competition in a Christian atmosphere. Esports is one of the fastest growing sports among schools with over $16 million in scholarships offered by colleges in 2020 alone. With very few schools in the area having established esports teams, Lipscomb seeks to be on the cutting edge of affording these opportunities to students.

Structure and Design

Lipscomb Academy esports is divided into two divisions. The Middle School Division is coached and led by Jamon Martin. The academy competes in Smash Brothers for Nintendo Switch (ESRB 10+), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (ESRB 10+), Fortnie (ESRB T), and Rocket League (ESRB E).

The High School Division is coached by in-house esports veteran, Tyler Mason. Games competed in include Valorant (ESRB T), Super Smash Brothers on Nintendo Switch (ESRB 10+), Fortnite (ESRB T), and Rocket League (ESRB E).

An explanation of ESRB ratings for games can be found at https://www.esrb.org/.

We are partnered with two organizations for the 2023-2024 seasons. Most of the games are run through High School Esports League (HESL) and Middle School Esports League (MESL). The only exception to this is Fortnite which will still be facilitated by Vanta.

The competitive rules for each game are linked below.

3v3 Rocket League

5v5 Valorant (HS only)

1v1 Best of 5 Smash Ultimate

4v4 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (MS only)

Fortnite

Both HSEL and MSEL rank players using a matchmaking ranking (MMR) system. This system determines placement in tournaments, leaderboards, and pairing with opponents during season play. The “Skill Rating” or “MMR” is an aggregate # determined by a few factors:

1. Roster W/L record

2. Roster win %

3. Opponent avg. win %

Win % is in regards to ROUNDS within matches, so if you clean sweep 3-0 to win the match, you have 100% win percentage, whereas a 3-2 match win will result in a lower win % percentage.

The system matches by individual user + roster record, so once the queue system has about two weeks of data, matches become much more accurate and even skill-wise. At the beginning of a season, these factors are still working themselves out, but by week three, players should begin to see a balance in skill-based matchmaking. This idea of matchups by skill rating is called “Swiss”, and while the queue system isn’t TRUE Swiss, over all, it results in healthier and STRONGER competition.

Vanta ranks players on a total points format with the cumulative score of a team’s best 3 matches being reported each week.

Stang Nation Gaming

Apart from our middle and high school divisions, every Tuesday Tyson Coles and Dr. Brad Schultz are hosting Mustang Nation Gaming. Mustang Nation Gaming is a group of Lipscomb Academy students who meet up and hang out to play games with each other. The Esports Lab is open for everyone from 6th - 12th grade.

Fall Roster

More Information and Resources

Uniforms and Fees

The Esports uniforms, as designed by Libby Alvarez, are the coolest on campus (see below). Team fees and the touchent store can be accessed here. Uniforms are to be worn at all competitions. Team tees may be worn for practices, and both tees and uniforms may be worn on spirit wear days in order to show team spirit. Fees are a one-time purchase per season and cover team apparel, events, and league fees. New player fees are $175 and returning player fees are $125.

Please note that fees do not cover the cost of attending end-of-season tournaments. For example, we had seven players qualify to compete at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida, for the 2022 EGF Championships. While the leagues can provide some scholarships for schools and event discounts typically apply to hotels and activities, they do not cover the full costs of travel and lodging.

Schedule and Practice

All practices and most competitions will take place in the Mustang Esports Lab which is room 137 in Harding Hall. Practices and competitions begin promptly after school and end at 4:45. With the exception of Fortnite, most competitions will take place via a queue system beginning at 4:00. Practice and competition schedule and season overviews can be found below. (Because the HESL and MESL season calendars are the same, only the HESL calendar is posted below. The Vanta Fortnite season also mirrors the HESL season schedule.

During practice, participants will:

Watch instructional videos or gameplay footage to learn new moves and address gameplay improvements
Practice new moves independently and with partners
Scrimmage partners using new moves as much as possible
Scrimmage players from across the country
Play and record results of games in order to determine ranking

Team Rules and Expectations

Esports is treated and operates much like any other traditional sports program in which students are expected to adhere to behavioral and academic expectations. All rules and protocols that govern a standard school day also apply to after school activities.

Honor Christ in word and deed.

Speak respectfully to teammates, opponents, and coaches.
No raging or quitting out of frustration. Control your emotions and persevere.
Give 100% in every practice and competition.
No food or drink in the Esports Lab.
Clean and store all equipment before leaving.
Communicate in advance with coaches if you cannot make practices.

Goals for Esports

To learn about the competitive world of gaming in a fun, friendly, and Christian environment
To connect and build friendships among students who share the same enthusiasm for gaming
To teach students the joy of success that comes from practice, dedication, and teamwork
To provide potential avenues for scholarships and career opportunities related to esports for students
To represent Christ well