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EASTPOINTE — The popularity of esports has come to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan’s Eastpointe Club.
On Feb. 29, the BGCSM and the Detroit Red Wings opened the latest Esports & Gaming Lounge at the Eastpointe Club, 15320 E. Nine Mile Road.
Detroit Red Wings players Michael Rasmussen and Christian Fischer attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, where local children had the opportunity to play video games, enjoy a pizza party and learn hockey skills from the two NHL team members.
Through a $300,000 investment from the Detroit Red Wings Foundation and the Children’s Foundation, the esports program is designed to strengthen the career and entrepreneur opportunities for youth in the sports and esports industries. BGCSM’s Eastpointe Club is home to the fourth and final esports lounge in metro Detroit.
“This is amazing to see our fourth Club unveil a world-class esports lounge. Thank you to the commitment from the Detroit Red Wings Foundation and The Children’s Foundation for helping us to invest in the development of youth through sports and technology which will have a long-term benefit, potentially contributing to a more vibrant and skilled workforce,” BGCSM President and CEO Shawn H. Wilson said in a prepared statement. “This partnership will absolutely bring about positive changes, creating new opportunities and pathways for the youth not only in sports and technology, but with any career path they decide to take.”
The Boys & Girls Club is open from 2 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Youth must have a membership to participate. Eastpointe’s esports lounge will be a hub for upcoming esports tournaments and leagues that also take place across the BGCSM Esports + Hockey network.
“We are excited about the gaming lounge,” BGCSM Club Director Chris Kyles said. “We’ve partnered with professionals in the field of esports. We have what is called EliteGamingLIVE. The youth are learning how to run tournaments and how to be creators and consumers.”
EGL is a competitive gaming league for grades 3-12 that uses esports as a way to cultivate students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, also known as STEM.
Esports, short for electronic sports, is a form of competition using video games. The games are played in an organized competitive environment in amateur and professional formats. The esports available at Eastpointe’s The Boys & Girls Club operate on a block schedule so everyone has a chance to play.
“They’re learning strategies, healthy competition,” said Kyles, an Eastpointe resident. “They’re learning how to play in a positive culture. Their engagement is awesome.”
Through its after-school programs, the BGCSM serves 21,000 youth, families and entrepreneurs annually in neighborhoods throughout southeastern Michigan. For more information on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, visit bgcsm.org.
