St Margaret’s is leading the charge for girls in esports, launching a girls only gaming event to be held on Saturday 3 September which will provide a platform for those currently involved in the sport as well as encouraging more girls to take up the sport.
In partnership with Team Bliss, a competitive esports Academy and GameAware, the Girls in Gaming Invitational is the first of its kind for Queensland students in Years 8 to 12.
Head of Faculty – eLearning, Research, Technology and Design Kerry Daud says the community event is a platform that offers opportunities for girls from other Brisbane schools to grow and develop their interest in esports in a supportive, all-girl environment.
“The girls will receive professional performance coaching in games, including Valorant, Rocket League and League of Legends, along with wellbeing coaching on a range of topics, including applying performance psychology to gaming sessions, staying safe online and healthy gaming tips.
“They will then join in some friendly rounds of scrimmaging.
“Importantly, we are aiming to give girls the opportunity to develop their skills and create connections with other girls also interested in gaming within a safe, supportive and fun environment,” Mrs Daud said.
St Margaret’s is pioneering the adoption of esports in girls’ education, ensuring its students have the leading edge when it comes to pursuing pathways in the booming esports industry.
Earlier this year, the school launched a dedicated gaming space, which boasts eight high-powered computers solely for gaming, Nintendo switch consoles, and an interactive whiteboard enabling students to broadcast and view multiple screens simultaneously.
The school also now recognises esports as an official sport among its traditional sports portfolio, allowing girls to train and compete in a number of national and international competitive gaming competitions.
What is important to St Margaret’s is providing a safe environment for girls to start in esports, particularly given it is very male dominated.
Also important is challenging the culture of inclusivity and fair play for women in the sport and ensuring that girls are not exposed to un-female friendly gamer chat.
Mrs Daud says: “Our esports training and competition days are held at school and supervised by teachers who monitor and support the students’ digital wellbeing and positive gaming behaviours.
“However, we’d love the opportunity for our students to play against more girls and it is hoped the Girls in Gaming Invitational will inspire more girls to take up the sport.”
Who knows, the Girls in Gaming Invitational may well be a springboard for Australia’s next generation of Commonwealth Games competitors.