Mayfield High School has an Esports Valorant  team for students. The Mayfield Esports Program is also open to students attending Excel Tech, regardless of their home school, as long as that school does not have an esports program. Last year marked the inaugural year of the esports program. The team achieved a winning record and advanced to National-level rounds. Mr. Suchy is the coach of the Esports Valorant team. He also serves as the Career Tech Teacher. He has coached various sports, including football, baseball, and softball, for about 35 years. However, the increased popularity of Esports created a new opportunity for Mayfield City Schools. 

Mayfield Schools Esports is under the direction of Mr Suchy, when asked, “ Why did you want to coach esports?”  His response was that he had noticed a job opening. He also observed colleges incorporating esports into their programs and thought it was important for students to have an opportunity to engage in high school. Mr. Suchy believes that most students need to be competitive stating, “Everywhere you go you need to compete no matter what you do.” Mr. Suchy explained that when a player is underperforming, it is up to the captains to decide to make some changes in the lineup. The team members should practice in their spare time to get better and earn the spot to play in the line-up. 

When asked, what the most memorable moments of last year were?  Mr.Suchy says, “Last year the regional championship was amazing! We got to the finals against Lorain and beat them 2-1. We won the first round in overtime, but they were able to beat us barely in the second round. In the third round, we blew the doors off and we wore them down. Just seeing the students be excited and having them get their medals and the trophy was amazing!” The team excelled and made it to the State Championship, but failed to another school in the finals.  When asked, “What do you think are the key skills players gain from being on the esports team?  Mr. Suchy responded Esports builds camaraderie, communication, and soft skills where there is a pressured environment. The connection and growth as a team build so many lasting relationships.

 Ivan Gushahyn, a Mayfield senior, provided an Esports player’s perspective. As the captain of the Esports team, his insight was invaluable. When asked, “How do you prepare for a match or tournament? Do you have any specific rituals or warm-up routines?” Ivan mentioned that he tries to play a little game in practice mode to improve his aim. For the team, we do the same thing, just going over what to do in different scenarios.  Communication assists in fostering a strong bond between all of us.  When asked how communication occurs during a match, Ivan’s response “We all get a little bit excited, but we know when to say when it counts the most to assist teammates.”  Shadad Alabsi, a Senior at Mayfield, also provided insight into his role and experience as an Esports Player.  Shadad states staying calm is the best approach to deal with pressure during a match. When he is calm, he can deliver information to other teammates. The stress of competition goes away by the end of the round. When asked, what is his role on the team? Shadad responded, “I am a duelist”. His main priority is to create space for the team to evaluate strategy and opt to play aggressively to defeat the opponent.