HEDGESVILLE — Hedgesville High School student Ryan Clark has committed to continue his esports career at West Virginia Wesleyan College, where he will be receiving a $6,000 scholarship for every year he competes.
Upon arrival at West Virginia Wesleyan, Clark will specialize in playing Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. He will be competing against fellow collegiate esports athletes across the nation in various gaming events and tournaments.
“Smash Bros is my game that I mainly play, but kids in the program can play other games. So, you don’t have to just stick with Smash or Madden or Call of Duty, you can play any game you want or you could even play every game. I mean, you’d spread yourself a little thin, but you can do pretty much anything you want,” Clark explained.
When Hedgesville High School launched their esports program in 2022, Clark joined immediately for the chance to play even more Super Smash Brothers. With the help of connections built through his coaches at Hedgesville, Clark was able to visit West Virginia Wesleyan for a campus tour before inking his scholarship deal with the Bobcats.
In 2018, West Virginia Wesleyan was the first college in the state to offer esports athletic scholarships for their players competing at the varsity level. The school’s 30-person team has its own gaming arena featuring a competition stage, over 20 playing stations and Dell Alienware technology throughout.
The West Virginia Wesleyan esports program has also spearheaded the sport’s popularity growth across the state and inaugurated the West Virginia Scholastic Esports League (WVSEL), which is designed to solve accessibility issues younger competitors in West Virginia face.
Hedgesville High School is one of 24 current members in the WVSEL. Other local member schools include Martinsburg High School, Spring Mills High School and Spring Mills Middle School.
Esports have not only exploded in popularity within West Virginia but also nationwide. In 2023, the United States surpassed China for the largest national esports market, which now sits at $1.9 billion.
Also to be noted, esports viewership has tripled globally since 2017. As viewership has grown, professional esports leagues have begun to pop up worldwide, providing the chance for the top athletes to earn millions of dollars per year.
Clark plans to major in computer science at West Virginia Wesleyan with the goal to stay involved with the ever expanding esports industry.
As Clark prepares to represent the Bobcats in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, his story serves as an inspiration to young gamers across West Virginia and beyond. It highlights the opportunities that esports can provide; whether through competition, education, or future career prospects.
With the skyrocketing popularity of esports and programs like the WVSEL paving the way for younger players, the future of competitive gaming looks brighter than ever. For students like Clark, gaming is more than just entertainment – it’s a launchpad for success.
