BTHS is an acronym for Brooklyn Technical High School. Back in time, Dr. Albert L. Colston, chair of the Math Department of a school that taught manual labor, had a dream of creating such an educational institution. Read more about the BTHS eSports club’s accomplishments at brooklyn-future.
Following World War I, Dr. Colston believed the country required a more technically skilled workforce. On October 18, 1918, he submitted a paper to the Brooklyn Engineers’ Club proposing the establishment of a technical high school educational program for Brooklyn boys. Dr. Colston envisioned a high school with a strong emphasis on mathematics, physics, drafting and similar subjects. A school with alternative paths leading to college or technical employment in industry. His idea was accepted and put into practice at Manual Training beginning in 1919. The Board of Education also approved the establishment of Brooklyn Technical High School (BTHS) in the spring of 1922, and it opened for classes in the fall of the same year. At the time, the creator of BTHS could not have imagined that the school’s students would engage in computer games and that several teams that would participate in New York competitions would be based here.
Three teams
Currently, BTHS has several eSports club teams. These are the teams that play League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics and Valorant. These school eSports teams, like all other tech sports teams, participate in the EZ Esports League against other New York City schools. Alex Shannon, co-president of the BTHS eSports club, referred to the local team Valorant as “the crown jewel”. The team was invited to compete in the national high school eSports league HSEL.
Valorant and Teamfight Tactics
Isaac Liu is the captain of the Valorant team, also known as the “in-game leader”. Liu is in charge of making decisions and leading the squad during the game. The truth is that coaches are not permitted to talk to players unless a timeout is scheduled. That is why the captain’s position in the game is so important. To be an effective captain, Liu must be knowledgeable and learn to think strategically. Throughout the game, he must keep an eye on the entire map and assist the players by making decisions based on the positions of teammates. These skills, like many others, can be learned and honed in the Valorant team.
Zhihao Lu is a member of another team called Teamfight Tactics. It has a specific goal: to bring prominence to Brooklyn Tech. The Brooklyn Tech TFT team competes with players from other schools in citywide eSports tournaments, which take place on a weekly basis. Lu describes the team as fun and competitive. Regarding the competition, Lu says it is too early to evaluate the team’s success. However, Lu’s personal success is apparent, as he finished first in two of his four games.
Esports are beneficial
Although video games are frequently criticized in society owing to the possibility of leading to addiction and aggressive behavior, the eSports club exhibits many positive effects of gaming. Leadership, teamwork and trust are abilities that players developed here while playing together.
Alex Shannon characterizes a team of 20 people as a family since they consult with one another not only on games but also on school relationships. He claims that their shared passion for playing video games brought them closer together. Most of all, Shannon likes watching players excel at something they aren’t very good at, as long as they are enjoying themselves. He addresses the major issues that many high school students face: loneliness and a lack of common interests. However, the BTHS eSports Club is a significant step toward reducing negative experiences among young video game players.
