Start a Program

1. Survey students
2. Get school approval
3. Get IT involved for technical requirements
4. Recruit students
5. Get on LeagueSpot
6. Sign up for games
7. Esports and Beyond!

Once you know what games students are interested in playing, communicate with your school’s administration and athletic director to approve those titles.

At this point, you'll also want to contact WIHSEA (email mdahle@wihsea.org) to be added to the mailing list to receive registration forms for the competitive seasons. Instructions for joining WIHSEA and signing up for WIHSEA leagues will be included.

After getting approval from your school, get your IT department involved about installing game titles, opening up content filter for allowing games to update, and setting up restrictions if necessary. Some information on port forwarding and whitelisting are available in our Technical Information resource.

While this is going on, you’ll want to recruit students and organize the team(s).

A scholastic esports program consists of at least one supervising adult, usually the program coordinator or coach, and a group of students that form the team. The number of students needed depends on the game(s) your program has decided to participate in. In addition, we recommend recruiting 1 - 2 subs in case players cannot participate one week.

Don’t be afraid to start with just 1 or 2 teams to get a feel for the process!

Need Help Building the Team?

In general, most schools use a mixture of applications and tryouts to recruit players.

Remember that a group of players and a supervisor alone is not yet a team. You'll want to create a Code of Conduct and Define Expectations in order to create a team culture as well. See our Creating a Team resource for more.

WIHSEA currently uses LeagueSpot for team management and competition scheduling. You’ll need to enter your players into LeagueSpot.

Next, register through the official form* for which games your school wants to compete through.

When Signing Up for a Competition, You Commit

• To ensure every student has a positive and competitive experience by:
  • Cultivating a climate in which all students feel safe to participate by encouraging safe and positive interactions between teammates and opposing teams.
  • Actively monitor and discourage negative behaviors and communications among and between students.
• To field a competitive team for all scheduled events.
  • The other team is going through the same motions as you - preparing for the game and hyping the match and emotionally preparing themselves. Forfeiting a match allows for no place for all of those emotions to go for the other team.
• To be respectful of the competition, the organizers, and other teams.
  • If you choose to livestream or cast the match, ensure the stream is respectful of both teams.
  • If you choose to comment, publicly, about the tournament, ensure you stick to the facts and not let emotions overrule logic.
• To ensure the eligible players are playing.
  • Ensure you understand the eligibility rules for each competition you enter.
  • Verify each student is allowed to participate according to eligibility rules.
• To read all game manuals and tournament rules.
  • There are common rules for some titles that students may feel they already know - but ensure that all participants on your team understand the rules of this competition.
    • Typically, teams get tripped up over small, but different and important, things.
  • Have a manual reading session for one of your practices! 
    • Practice setting up matches with the correct rulesets. 
    • Schedule scrims with experienced teams to ensure you know what you are doing.

*Will be sent out 1 month before preseason is scheduled

Congratulations, you’ve just joined the wide world of scholastic esports!

Schools will compete in a 1 week preseason to ensure games work correctly and students are committed to play.

After the preseason is complete, a 7 week regular season will commence.

Official schedules are available on WIHSEA.leaguespot.gg

Head on over to the Rules and Regulations for information on match day procedures. 

If you're looking to take your esports program to the next level, explore our Resources for ideas on where you can take things next and information to help your programs take those next steps.