Midland University on Growing Their Esports Program
Nathan Ragsdell is the head coach of Midland University’s esports program. When he took over, the program was in dire need of more than just an overhaul. They used computers that were bordering on ancient, which he felt were handicapping his team’s performance.
Skill is great, and it’s necessary. But no matter how good you are, if you have lag, poor response times, and latency issues, you are not likely to win against an equally skilled team without those problems. Nathan Ragsdell wants to grow this program and make it formidable, but what needs to be done?
They Can Rebuild Them
In an interview with Fremont Tribune, Ragsdell stated that only one game worked relatively well on the old computers. They were essentially playing with their hands tied behind their back.
They slowly introduced more advanced computers, which in turn let them take on better and bigger games and helped them find players who wanted to play esports at the collegiate level. In 2016, Midland University announced its 28th varsity intercollegiate athletic program: Esports.
Four additional programs have been added to the roster since. However, despite their weak start, Midlands University was one of only five colleges to offer esports athletic scholarships when the program was first introduced. It was also the first school in the region to offer a varsity-level esports program.
Ragsdell pointed out that the program grew since joining in 2018. They have 28 players this season (which was their roster goal) and hope to bring an additional 5 to 10 more athletes by the end of this year.
So far, Midland University competes in two main esports: Overwatch and League of Legends. Overwatch by now is only a few years old, but League of Legends is well-established, since its debut in 2009. Another important addition to their program is an assistant coach, in the form of Sinjin Chun. They will help develop the League of Legends team.
“I didn’t feel extremely comfortable giving them experience since that wasn’t my background,” Ragsdell said. “It’s worked wonders and has given me the opportunity to focus on other areas of the program.”
It’s important to know one’s weaknesses and to hire someone on who can help. Though Ragsdell’s Overwatch team started weak, picking up one or two wins, that has since changed. Now they are up to 20 wins and are a top-15 national placement for the varsity team. That’s an incredible improvement, that’s for sure.
Their League of Legends team has had a far more difficult time though. The game is deep in terms of tactics, and champion pool, making it harder to break into. They are making progress, but it’s going to be a long road to success in League of Legends. Another thing that may be hurting them is a lack of a static schedule.
One of their other issues is a lack of support for the sport. If there aren’t a lot of people supporting esports, they are less likely to find star players to help them grow. However, Ragsdell is trying to host in-person events for professional tournaments and viewing parties.
He already hosted the state’s first high school state championship for esports, which is nothing to sneeze at. That event brought eight teams across the state there to compete for a trio of esports titles. It’s more than just winning. Esports brings together new friends and creates a tight-knit community, like a family.
Midland University is one of the first schools to have a legitimate esports program, and that’s a lot of pressure. But Ragsdell is hoping to leave a lasting mark. His success could prove that other schools could follow in his footsteps. A legacy could be created with what he has helped to build.
Ragsdell discussed this in a recent article. It’s important for him and the team to not rest on their laurels but to instead look at where they can go from here.
“Objectively, the only thing I would say I look at with us being one of the first is that I have a lot of pride for the school and the leadership to recognize that this was a realistic opportunity to take hold of and offer to students,” he said. “Having that backing was really exciting to come into the program.”
We’re hoping for their continued success as well. Collegiate esports is still in its fledgling years. But success here could mean success for other universities that want to get into this new wave of athletic competition.
Will Midland University have a successful 2020 season of esports? We sure hope so!
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