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"Understanding Collegiate Esports offers a blueprint for building esports programs rooted in positive community and productive competition. Throughout the book, the chapter authors provide historical context on how we have found ourselves in our current iteration of esports in ways that honor the lived experiences of those the gaming industry and esports have systematically marginalized. Understanding Collegiate Esports also provides hope with insightful recommendations and provocations to ensure that we co-construct a present and future version of esports that is diverse, equitable and inclusive while providing the sense of belonging that gaming has offered so many of us."

-- Verta Maloney, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, the*gameHERs https://thegamehers.com/

"Understanding Collegiate Esports is something that every practitioner entering the world of collegiate esports should have on their bookshelves. My favorite sections have to deal with protecting the health and wellness of these athletes – this volume lists the most common physical/mental problems these athletes face and provides clear step-by-step solutions. I personally expect to be flipping back to these sections regularly. Bottom line: If you’re working with collegiate esports athletes, you need this book. Don’t let your program fall behind."

-- Casey Thomas, RD, Founder, Gamer Diet, Performance Nutrition for Esports Athletes, https://gamerdiet.gg/

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"The responsibility and opportunity to create an esports environment that allows collegiate participants to be their full authentic selves belong to all of us. With their book, Understanding Collegiate Esports: A Practitioner’s Guide to Developing Community and Competition, Jennifer Hoffman, Regena Pauketat, & Kelsey Varzeas have decided to claim their roles as co-conspirators in this journey to create an equitable esports space for all. Understanding Collegiate Esports: A Practitioner’s Guide to Developing Community and Competition and most specifically the guiding questions at the end of every chapter offer a blueprint for building esports programs rooted in positive community and productive competition.

Throughout the book, the chapter authors provide historical context on how we have found ourselves in our current iteration of esports in ways that honor the lived experiences of those the gaming industry and esports have systematically marginalized. Understanding Collegiate Esports: A Practitioner’s Guide to Developing Community and Competition also provides hope with insightful recommendations and provocations to ensure that we co-construct a present & future version of esports that is diverse, equitable and inclusive while providing the sense of belonging that gaming has offered so many of us."

Verta Maloney, Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, at the*gameHERs, https://thegamehers.com/

"Understanding Collegiate Esports: A Practitioner’s Guide to Developing Community and Competition is something that every practitioner entering the world of collegiate esports should have on their bookshelves. My favorite sections have to deal with protecting the health and wellness of these athletes – this volume lists the most common physical/mental problems these athletes face and provides clear step-by-step solutions. I personally expect to be flipping back to these sections regularly. On a personal note, as a dietitian, I need to say that I love that the authors give a nod to the importance of nutrition for peak health and performance! One chapter provides simple and effective hydration guidelines to enhance player well-being.

Bottom line: If you’re working with collegiate esports athletes, you need this book. Don’t let your program fall behind."

Casey Thomas, RD, Founder, Gamer Diet, Performance Nutrition for Esports Athletes, https://gamerdiet.gg/

"Esports is one of the fastest growing forms of competitive entertainment in the world, yet it is hardly new in higher education. College students have been gaming in residence dorms, libraries, lecture halls and, more recently, in state-of-the-art campus gaming lounges. With the increasing popularity of esports, there is a demand on administrators and leaders in higher education to create and enhance the presence of esports on their campus. Understanding Collegiate Esports: Developing Competition and Community for the Higher Education Practitioner provides an effective blueprint for campus leaders to create a successful esports program for their institution.

Over the course of nine chapters, readers of Understanding Collegiate Esports will be provided the tools and knowledge necessary to grow the presence of esports and video gaming on campus. Readers who are new to the industry will be quickly brought up to speed on esports’ role on campus, the important stakeholders, and the dilemmas and opportunities shared with traditional sports. Practitioners already familiar with the field will find solutions to long-standing issues in esports including legal issues, gender & racial diversity, and the health and well-being of the esports student-athlete. The wide range of perspectives from the contributors of Understanding Collegiate Esports provides a balanced approach to understanding how esports are, and should be, run on collegiate campuses."

Cullum Brownbridge, Doctoral Student, Brock University

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