It’s been a rough day. Frankly, it’s difficult to talk about esports at all in the fallout of Election Day. Even for a passionate fan, it can be hard to feel like anything we say in the realm of competitive gaming today won’t matter. After grappling with this thought for much of the day, though, I’ve come to the conclusion that silence is ultimately worse than triviality. In the interest of combating apathy, here is a humble offer: a few opportunities from this week for women who are looking for a way into the world of esports.
The NXA Ladies, one of Indonesia’s longest running female esport teams, are looking for more players to join their Overwatch, League of Legends and Dota 2 teams. There is no age limit, but the team is asking that new recruits currently live in the Jakarta area. Started by Monica “Nix1a” Carolina, a decorated champion of several first person shooters, the NXA Ladies have both a Counter-Strike team and a Dota 2 team, and they seem to be interested in expansion. While the NXA Ladies aren’t well known internationally, they have a particularly impressive record in Dota 2, with a 64% win rate in their 36 matches to date. Those interested in applying should follow these links: League of Legends, Overwatch, Dota 2.
Elemental eSports, a newer organization, is also looking to fill slots for a female Overwatch team. “We wanted something different,” said team owner Caleb Monette, when asked for comment. “We really wanted to show that female players can dominate in games too.” While they’re looking to put together a male team to match their roster, Monette sees a female team as an important step in the right direction. While players won’t be receiving salaries immediately, due to the new and small nature of the team, Monette said that players can expect gear from sponsors.
There are more opportunities every day
Meanwhile in North Dakota, the University of Jamestown is starting a co-ed esports team, hoping to have a filled-out roster of twenty to twenty-five people by May, 2017. While men are also welcome to apply, coach and team organizer Josh Knutson is hoping for plenty of female applicants: “It matches the mission of the university, which is forward-thinking, and focused on development of students at the collegiate level. We really wanted this to be an opportunity for all students. There are great female gamers out there, we just have to find them and let them know they have the opportunity.” Student players will be eligible to receive scholarship funds for their attendance at the University of Jamestown. Knutson, whose contact information can be found here, is “Looking for seniors in high school looking to continue their education at a collegiate level.” UJ’s team is part of a push towards legitimizing esports at the college-level in partnership with the NACC, and more colleges will surely be joining.
These may be smaller organizations, but they’re just the ones that have come in this week—there are more opportunities every day. It can be difficult to find paths into competitive scene when it’s so often male-dominated, but whether you’re playing for a college team, an established esports organization or a brand new one, these are just a few possibilities for women who aspire to professional play.
