Midtown YMCA adds Esports lounge
The Midtown YMCA in Montgomery is leveling up by adding a new Esports lounge for people who enjoy playing sports electronically.
Its new 32 system Esports lounge is designed to inspire teamwork, leadership and digital literacy through competitive gaming. It offers PCs and consoles, with a YMCA Esports program on the way.
YMCA leaders say the new lounge will be more than just a space to play games, it’ll be where passion meets purpose and introduce youth to career pathways.
“Esports and gaming, computer systems, they’re expensive, truly. You’re talking consoles are $500, $600 for a brand new one. That’s hard for a family to be able to afford. I know growing up, I didn’t have that experience,” AJ Hernandez, the President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Montgomery told Action 8 News.
“So to be able to provide that for any child in our community, for them to be able to come into the Y, participate at little to no cost, is a blessing. It levels the playing field. And so, we’re excited to be able to partner with private schools, public schools, anybody in our community to be able to open that avenue up for them,” he said.
“Being able to have Esports be something that not only invokes creativity, but critical thinking skills, teamwork, all this communication that matters in a team environment. These soft and hard skills that they’re going to learn at an early age is now just another environment for them to be able to procure this,” Ryan Doyle, the director of Esports at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, said.
