In the McLaine household, doing the dishes can be put on hold while video games take priority. That’s because esports, or competitive gaming, is helping to fund Fort Dorchester High School student Loie McLaine’s education at Winthrop University. McLaine earned a scholarship from the school by competing in the esports program, and the school hosted a signing day on Friday, April 11 — the first signing day of its kind at the school.
McLaine, who competes playing the video games Overwatch and Marvel Rivals, said they look up to professionals such as Grant Espe, who goes by Moth in virtual spaces, as well as Se-yeon Kim, who goes by Geguri.
“She was the first female in the Overwatch league, which is the esport I watched, and she didn’t take anything from anyone,” McLaine said. “She really was there, going to prove herself, and I definitely looked up to her when I came into the esports space, which is a very male-dominated space. I definitely looked up to Geguri for that attitude of, ‘I’m not going to let anyone tell me what I can and can’t do, because I will prove it to myself.’”
McLaine said they got their start playing video games “early on,” but that it was Fort Dorchester High School’s esports program that helped them find their talent for competition.
“I think that once I realized that I could be one of them, it was probably my sophomore year, because when we first started the esports program here, Mr. Howard said, ‘By the way, you can earn scholarships for some of these,’” McLaine said. “I thought, ‘Oh, there’s no way, I’m not going to have time for that.’ Then, I came to realize a year after, ‘Oh, wait, that’s totally going to be me.’”
Teacher Damond Howard leads the esports program and spoke at McLaine’s signing. He explained that he developed the program with input and help from students like McLaine.
