BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — Throughout the month of April, the Bismarck State College Mystics have been preparing for the end of another semester of heated gameplay in their digital department. On this week's Gaming column, we celebrate their recent accomplishments — including multiple appearances in national collegiate championships — with a look at the past, present, and future of BSC Esports. The Evolution of Esports Since it's initial founding, the BSC Mystics Esports program has vastly expanded its repertoire of students and teams — and head Esports Coach David St. Peter notes that this increase in numbers also comes with an increase in national competitions as well. "Bismarck State Esports had some awesome growth this year," he says. "The component of our growth that we are the most proud of is that we have expanded the number of games we compete in. This spring we began competing, nationally, in an additional six video game titles. As for accomplishments, two of our teams qualified for National Championship matches in their respective titles." It is worth noting that the growth in collegiate Esport programs is not strictly limited to BSC, of course: these programs have seen a tremendous increase in number around the United States in recent years. This, St. Peter claims, is an excellent way encourage students to participate in hobbies they enjoy while representing their schools. "I love that high schools and colleges are recognizing the opportunities for students to represent their schools through Esports," he states. "It has been fun to see BSC rally around our team and celebrate the accomplishments that we have seen this spring." Weekend BRB: Here and near to Xanadu at Bismarck State College Student Skills When discussing a sport of any sort, it is important to consider the participants themselves, and their experiences in turning what is otherwise a leisure activity into a competitive sport. In the case of BSC Cybersecurity Senior Kaleb Klein, his journey through collegiate Esports is one that has taken in him a vastly different direction than he would have expected, but an incredible one nonetheless. "I first joined the BSC team before I started my first semester of college," he recalls. "Originally, I was supposed to go into Apex Legends, but ended up going into Valorant. Playing in a competitive scene is very exciting, definitely nerve racking at first — but as time went on, it became a lot more fun, and I met very interesting people along the way." Like any sport or competitive activity, training is a crucial part of preparing for larger Esports events. While there may not be as much of a physical aspect to Esports, as Klein states, there are still plenty of things that players must do to sharpen their skills — including practice games, spectating professionals, and building strong connections with their teammates. "I practice by watching tournaments and taking inspiration from teams who play on a bigger level," he explains, "and see how they handle certain situations. But I think the most important way for us to practice is by doing Scrims. The biggest key to playing Valorant is by working as a team and understanding each other. And in prior years we never got much for scrimmages we only played our set matches. The biggest thanks goes to our coaches — if it wasn't for Coach DSP we wouldn't have had all these opportunities we have had the past two years, ranging from more scrimmages all the way to new tournament opportunities." As a direct result of this training, both St. Peter and his students have noted that they have been able to reach new heights in regard to not only their skills, but their bonds as a team and the experiences they are able to share as well. "All of our teams have become more cohesive units," St. Peter says. "Annually, we see friendships form, new inside jokes blossom, and all athletes performing at high levels in their competitive titles." "I have gained some new friends," Klein adds, "and met a lot of new people. But I think the best part is just the experience along the way. We had a lot of fun at the University of Jamestown tournaments." Competitive Conclusions The National Championships serve as the perfect test of a group's skills, coordination, and cooperation when it comes to any subject, and video games are no exception. However, for two of BSC's Valorant players, their own shot at the competition has another symbolic factor, as it marks the perfect end of their long history with BSC's program. "I feel great," Klein states. "It's a great way to end both my teammate Paul's senior year, and mine, too. Paul and I have been on the same team for the past 4 years, and I think I can speak for the both of us and say that we are really excited. Of course, it is a little nerve racking — but in the end, it's about having fun, and that's what I plan on doing." Unfortunately, the team's first foray into this year's National Championships did not end as well as they would have hoped — as despite their best efforts and a series of close games, they lost to their first opponents (Madison Area Technical College) 3-0. Despite this setback, both BSC's Esports players and organizers are pleased with just how far the program has come since its humble beginnings, and hope that it will only continue to evolve (in both size and skill) as time goes by. "We look forward to continuing our track record of success and inclusion as we move into our new space in the upcoming Bavendick Performance Center," St. Peter declares. "I hope to see our program to strive for more in the future," concludes Klein, "and that the school can keep providing 1such an amazing experience for a quickly growing sport. I hope they are looking out for more great coaches like Lance and DSP. If given the opportunity, I would love to go back and coach the Valorant team." On Tuesday, April 30, the Mystics Fortnite Build team will be competing against Heartland Community College in the NJCAAE Open Series National Championship For more information on Bismarck State College's Esports team, or to view any upcoming gaming schedules, visit their website here. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW