E-sports is exploding.

You heard me right.

esports not your typical sports like basketball and running.

Esports are multi-player video games that are played competitively.

And it's growing exponentially in 2021.

In 2021 research conducted at Syracuse University showed that e-sports viewership in the United States rose up to 84 million viewers, surpassing major professional sports leagues such as the MLB and the NBA.

Here in Colorado, more and more high schools are adopting e-sports programs within their school, where students are able to compete competitively and represent their schools.

When I started at Creek back in 2018, there was a small group of kids that approached me about starting an esports club because at the time the competitive video scene was still pretty new to high school.

This is Alexandra Buck, head coach of Cherry Creek E-sports at Cherry Creek High School.

Esports has grown so much in the seven years that I've been doing it because we went from just a small group of students that was just doing it as a club, just as an interest thing, to all of a sudden having all of these teams that are having the chance to compete against other high schools from all over Colorado.

So it's been a really good opportunity to take something that kids do at home anyway with their friends and turn it into a chance for them to represent their school and compete against other players from all over the state.

So I've been in several clubs, but this is definitely the most welcoming to what I've loved.

I've always loved video games.

It's what my family grew me up on and it's just a way for me to be able to express myself a little bit further with out the judgment because we're all so similar here.

From the late 2000, some early 20 tens e-sports skyrocketed in popularity due to streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube, giving a free platform for global audiences to tune into the games.

Today, it's become so popular in the entertainment industry as people flock towards e-sports.

Gaming itself has come so far right.

It's no longer Mario and Duck Hunt and some of the things that people from my generation would say are video games.

Now it's it's about skill, it's about teamwork.

My name is Rashaan Davis.

I am an assistant commissioner at the Chsaa office, and my primary responsibilities are student leadership, music, speech and debate and e-sports.

Two years ago, Colorado High School Activities Association, otherwise known as CHSAA officially sanctioned E-sports as an official activity in Colorado high schools.

Now students all over the state can compete with other schools and win state titles for specific video games.

The students meet three times a week after school, competing in matches, practicing, and even reviewing footage from past games.

Teamwork.

I think it's very, very essential for here.

I don't think e-sports is a sport really, because it's not about like physical activity or anything, but I think it's like the same way of competitive and the same kind of teamwork.

It's the same essential skills you need for, you know, for sports or e-sports.

It's really just the physical aspect of it that really differs from it.

Anybody who has watched these kids play these games can really attest to how skilled they are.

This is not casual gaming.

These kids are playing at a level of skill that's attained by very few.

So it's really awesome for them to get an opportunity to compete at such a high level in the state and get to compete against other schools.

The growth is just there.

You know, I think it helps that our colleges are offering some version of a scholarship.

You know, our workforce, you know, whether it be the military or air traffic controllers or whoever it is, or looking for these types of kids.

The sky's the limit.

It really is.

And that's a lot.

But sky's the limit.

So I really do believe that it helps these kids learn how to express themselves.

It helps these kids learn how to be a part of a team.

And that's not something that they've all had before this.

So I think that it's really important to give them that outlet.

Really, it comes down to the kids, their passion, their dedication, their joy, their love for what they do.

That's really what makes this program great.