E-Sports Coaches

High School

E-sports coaches must be excellent communicators, so be sure to take speech, English, and foreign language courses to build your skills. Many coaches are expected to have strong marketing and promotions skills (especially on social media), so it’s a good idea to take marketing, advertising, data science/analytics, computer science, and social media courses. Other recommended classes include psychology, athletics, and business management.

Postsecondary Education

E-sports coaches must have knowledge and expertise in e-sports to be effective in their work. Many have bachelor’s degrees in sports psychology, kinesiology, physical training, or education, which helps them to provide advice and guidance on the mental and physical aspects of training and competition.

Some colleges and universities offer degrees in e-sports. For example, the University of North Dakota offers a bachelor’s degree in e-sports, and students can pursue a specialization track in e-sports coaching. Visit https://und.edu/programs/esports-bs for more information. Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, offers a variety of e-sports-related majors, including e-sports management. Visit https://www.su.edu/esports/esports-management-bs for more information. You may even be able to attend a school that is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Esports and compete in e-sports against other college teams. (Such an experience may also lead to a coaching position.) Visit https://www.nacesports.org/school-directory for a list of members.

Certification

A growing number of schools offer certificate programs in e-sports, e-sports coaching, and other e-sports–related fields. For example, Shenandoah University offers an esports coaching certificate to students who complete the following classes: Introduction to Coaching for Esports, Advanced Esports Coaching, and Esports Coaching Experience. Visit https://www.su.edu/esports/esports-coaching-certificate to learn more about the program. The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers an esports performance management and coaching graduate certificate (https://www.uab.edu/education/home/graduate/esports). Contact schools in your area for information about available programs.

The National Esports Association offers a mastery certificate in esports coaching to students who complete the following courses: Fundamentals of Esports; Coaching Fundamentals; Building Your Esports Lab; Advanced Practices in Esports; Business Management in Esports; and Empowering the Next Generation of Esports Coaches. Visit https://nea.gg/onlinelearning to learn more about the program.

Other Education or Training

Continuing education opportunities are provided by professional associations, colleges and universities, and for-profit online learning platforms. Contact these organizations for more information.