Noblesville students were among the first to get serious about video games.  It's paying off. 

In the wake of the Florida school shooting, President Donald Trump is reviving an old debate over whether violent video games can trigger violent behavior.  But Dr. Louis Kraus, a child psychiatrist, calls that approach a "red herring." ( March 8)
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Students in the eSports program at Noblesville High School work through a pair of multi-player games during after school practice, Noblesville, March 5, 2018.  ESports are growing, and large arenas have been filled with spectators to watch matches. ( Photo11: Robert Scheer/IndyStar)Buy Photo

"It's going to be huge," he said.  And, as the CEO of his own startup and the school's entrepreneurship teacher, he knows a thing or two about emerging markets. 

Before you get the wrong idea and start picturing a gamer stereotype, snacking and looking like a zombie while playing in their parent's basement, reconcile these images. 

These Noblesville teens are gathered in one of the school's old computer labs, now dubbed the "arena," long after classes ended.  A white board sits on one side of the room with a practice schedule for both the varsity and junior varsity teams — a total of 30 students — which includes a team warm up, individual drills and scrimmages against college teams. 

A volunteer, full-time adult coach sits behind them as they play, filling a legal pad with notes about strategy in red ink. 

Listed as number three for the Monday night practice is "push-ups."  That's not a gaming term, the students said.  Those are real push-ups to keep their focus sharp. 

The team confidently says Noblesville is the first high school in the state to build this kind of program around eSports.  And it's paying off.  They are currently undefeated in a national high school league.  The varsity Counter-Strike team was ranked third in the continent last year.  The varsity League of Legends team was ranked fourth. 

Now the team's seniors are being considered for college scholarships. 

During off-season in the summer, students independently have the opportunity to win thousands of dollars in competitions or by streaming their screen while playing for other enthusiasts to watch. 

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Tristan Adams, 15, works with other students on Counter Strike. 
Tristan Adams, 15, works with other students on Counter Strike, during eSports practice at Noblesville High School, Noblesville, March 5, 2018.  ESports are growing, and large arenas have been filled with spectators to watch matches.  Robert Scheer/IndyStar

Ryne Haas, 18, who helped organize the eSports program at Noblesville High School, Noblesville, March 5, 2018.  ESports are growing, and large arenas have been filled with spectators to watch matches.  Robert Scheer/IndyStar

Coach Noah Hankinson, top, monitors students through eSports game League of Legends during practice at Noblesville High School. 
Noah Hankinson (top), a coach, monitors students through eSports game League of Legends during after school practice at Noblesville High School, Noblesville, March 5, 2018.  ESports are growing, and large arenas have been filled with spectators to watch matches.  Robert Scheer/IndyStar

Lighted keyboards as students work on their eSports skills at Noblesville High School, Noblesville, March 5, 2018.  ESports are growing, and large arenas have been filled with spectators to watch matches.  Robert Scheer/IndyStar

Students in the eSports program at Noblesville High School work through a pair of multi-player games during after school practice, Noblesville, March 5, 2018.  ESports are growing, and large arenas have been filled with spectators to watch matches.  Robert Scheer/IndyStar

Don Wettrick guides the eSports club. 
photos by Robert Scheer/IndyStar
Don Wettrick, teacher at Noblesville High School, guides the eSports club that meets after school, Noblesville, March 5, 2018.  ESports are growing, and large arenas have been filled with spectators to watch matches.  Robert Scheer/IndyStar

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And in between AP classes and lacrosse practices the team's two founders, senior Ryne Haas and junior Daniel Hancock, are starting a consulting business to help other high schools do the same. 

Haas first approached Wettrick about starting a team last school year.  He grew up playing different games with his older brother, Addison. 

"One way that we bonded, because we didn’t really get along outside of video games, was we played games all the time," Haas said. " And he was always better than me, so that kind of drove me to want to be better." 

He started watching streams of professionals playing to improve his own strategy.  But it was seeing his brother's success that really made him pay attention to eSports, like when Addison was offered a scholarship for gaming and when one of his tournaments at Indiana University was played on ESPN 3. 

"That was one of my 'Aha' moments," Haas said. 

All it took for Wettrick to get on board was learning that League of Legends reported more than 80 million people watched the world championship last year.  For comparison, Nielsen reported 20 million people watched the 2017 NBA finals and 111.3 million people watched the 2017 super bowl. 

Hass gathered a team.  They built their own PC computers bought by the district and started practicing.  About a year later, they are now starting to fundraise and look for sponsors to purchase supplies like jerseys and start paying their full-time coach, Westfield High School graduate and IUPUI student Noah Hankinson.  Haas said he's working on reserving some time once a week in the school's weight room. 

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Noah Hankinson (top), a coach, monitors students through eSports game League of Legends during after school practice at Noblesville High School, Noblesville, March 5, 2018.  ESports are growing, and large arenas have been filled with spectators to watch matches. ( Photo11: Robert Scheer/IndyStar)

But Haas no longer plays video games.  Instead, he's focused on becoming CEO of his own consulting business. 

"I wanted to focus more on the business side of it and figure out how I could take it past high school," Haas said. " And these guys are better than me... I don't know if I would have made that team." 

His future business partner, Hancock, is on the varsity League of Legends team.  So far they are working with both of Noblesville's middle schools, and have interest from schools in Fort Wayne and Avon. 

Will they become the Apple or Microsoft of the eSports world, business giants?  Wettrick seems to think they could.  But, when asked, Haas and Hancock laugh.