April Coats never envisioned herself as an esports coach, but when her EAST students used their project-based learning assignment to research and advocate for a team at Northside High School, she knew she had to step in. The timing of the students’ endeavor aligned perfectly with the Arkansas Activities Association signing a contract with the PlayVS esports platform, which led to a natural transition to bring esports to Fort Smith Public Schools.
“I don’t play any of these games. I’m not a gamer,” Coats says. “We started that first season with just one League of Legends team, and we’ve slowly…