‘You get some fun rivalries’: Esports tournament brings gamers to Myrtle Beach
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Boost at the Beach Esports Tournament is returning to the Grand Strand for a second year this weekend. The competition features 12 colleges and universities, double the number of participants from last year. The schools will play the video game Rocket League in a team format. Syracuse University and Shenandoah University are collaborating to host the competition at The Hangout at Broadway at the Beach. Coastal Carolina University does not have a team participating but is helping to organize the event.
A Unique Gathering of Gamers
Alyssa Duran, the Interim Esports Director at Shenandoah University, said the competition is about more than just playing Rocket League. “Every time we get together it’s kind of a check-in of ‘how have you been doing?’, ‘what’s going on?’, the students get to know each other, you get some fun rivalries going,” said Duran.
Jonathan Paris, the Executive Director of Sports Tourism with Visit Myrtle Beach, said events like this shine a unique, and virtual, light on the area. “Let’s face it, a lot of kids, a lot of young adults, they watch Twitch, they’re on YouTube watching gamers,” said Paris. “Now this is a way for us to hit kind of a different market through a different medium and that’s part of why we’re investing in the esports events.”
Bridging Communities Through Gaming
Sean Kelly, the Director of Production Outreach for the esports program at Syracuse University, said one of last year’s highlights was watching people learn about the esports world. “South Carolina was playing and there were a bunch of families that were turning, watching, talking to their kids about it,” said Kelly. “It was a really heartwarming look at it.”
Nicholas Mattawa, an Esports Subject Specialist for CCU said he wants people to know anyone can try Esports. “The E in Esports doesn’t stand for electronic, it stands for everyone, everyone can be involved,” said Matawa. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in a wheelchair, it doesn’t matter if you’re 6 foot 5, or if you’re 4 foot 3. There’s a home for you here and we want you to come out and take a look at it, take a little dip, put your toe in the water.”
Exciting Matches Ahead
The tournament will take place on Saturday and Sunday. The event will also feature a Smash Bros tournament for high schoolers from Horry County Schools.