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WARREN -- After a presentation by Warren G. Harding High School's esports adviser Kevin Konscol, Superintendent Steve Chiaro posed a question to the board of education -- would it be willing to establish a budget for the videogame-based program?
"With so many other activities, there is a budget associated," he said. "We don't want it to be the only sponsored experience."
Konscol said the esports program, which had about 40 students last season, raised approximately $3,500 through various fundraisers and sponsorships.
"We have a few local sponsors, Nova Coffee Company in downtown Warren, Howard Hanna and a new company, GreenBoard IT, they actually do our recycling in the district for all of our computers and anything technological," he said.
Additionally, Konscol said a company called ByteSpeed provided the team with its computers and another organization called Aim Lab donated $2,000 worth of "gear," and $650 cash to the program.
"Without our sponsors, we definitely couldn't do it," Konscol said. "When we first started out, we weren't exactly sure what the needs of the lab were going to be. So throughout the year, with our fundraised money, we also bought new equipment for the students. And, no matter what, the kids get to take home their jerseys."
Konscol said Harding's esports program has about $1,800 on hand.
This year, the program has teams specializing in five different video games -- Overwatch, Rocket League, Valorant, Super Smash Bros., and Fortnite.
Konscol said Harding is part of the "Esports Ohio League," a nonprofit organization started by teachers.
He said the program's Overwatch team finished the regular season as the top seed in Ohio and the Rocket League team finished as the 16th seed. Both teams competed in postseason play.
"Overwatch and Rocket League both made it to regionals," Konscol said. "We took our kids to Baldwin Wallace (University), our Overwatch team won versus the Salem Quakers and we moved on, we were one game away from actually attending the state championships with them."
Konscol said Harding's Overwatch team finished 16th in the state out of 135 teams.
He said the program is planning to add two more games next season, Apex Legends and Chess. The program's goal is to go to the state championship in at least two games.
Konscol said his proudest accomplishment is that two seniors in the program were offered scholarships to continue esports into college.
Chiaro said the board has already made a "huge commitment" for some of the equipment and to "get things going," with the program.
With the success of the esports teams detailed by Konscol, the board seems unanimous in its support to try to find it additional funding.
"I think we have a consensus to ask (Treasurer Karen Sciortino), can you find some money?" board president Patti Limperos said.