After baseball participation fell by 1,000 players, Florence County, SC Parks and Recreation launched a parks and rec esports league in 2019 after hitting its lowest participation numbers ever. Since its 2019 launch, the program fills up before lunch on registration day, and some alumni have earned college esports scholarships.
Key Takeaways
- Florence County baseball participation dropped by 1,000 players by 2016, prompting the department to explore new programming
- The FloCo Gaming esports league, launched in 2019, now coaches 40 to 50 kids per spring and fall season
- Registration sometimes closes before lunch on opening day
- Some esports participants later crossed over into traditional sports like soccer and baseball
- Program alumni have received college esports scholarships, validating the competitive pathway
A Department in Decline Found a New On-Ramp
Before FloCo Gaming existed, Florence County Parks and Recreation was bleeding participants. Baseball alone had shed 1,000 players compared to prior years. Director Nathan Dawsey was blunt about the root cause.
“There’s a lot of different variables that play into that, one of which being probably video games. Let’s just be honest, it’s a lot easier to give a kid a game than it is to go out to the ball field two, three nights out of the week.”
Rather than compete against screens, the department decided to program around them. Funded initially through donations and local business support, FloCo Gaming launched in 2019 with a simple bet: if kids were already gaming, meet them there.
Parks and Rec Esports League Structure Mirrors Traditional Sports
FloCo Gaming doesn’t run like a casual drop-in. The league plays only team-based titles: Rocket League, Overwatch, Valorant, and Marvel Rivals. Practice sessions run one to three times per week. Teams have captains. Kids learn to win, lose, and show up consistently.
Dawsey described the intentional design: “They learn the importance of practice, because we do have them come in once, twice or even sometimes three times a week to actually practice. We put them in competitive situations so they learn how to win and lose, and we have team captains, so (there’s) leadership skills.”
Beyond gameplay, the program offers educational workshops in PC building and video game design. Field trips to Savannah College of Art and Design and Winthrop University connect participants to career pathways.
The Crossover Effect: Esports as a Gateway
Some FloCo Gaming participants later joined soccer and baseball teams. The esports league functioned as an entry point for kids who had no prior connection to organized athletics.
Overall participation numbers across Florence County’s department programs have climbed, though traditional sports have plateaued. Esports filled a gap that conventional programming could not reach on its own.
Florence School District 1 now fields its own esports team that competes against the county league. Horry-Georgetown Technical College recently launched an esports club.
Volunteers and Alumni Fuel the Model
David Hitch, a 19-year-old Francis Marion University student, volunteers with FloCo Gaming. He came up through the program himself.
“I enjoy games, I love the environment, and I love teaching people. I used to be in the same place, (a) new player, just learning things.”
Hitch now teaches newer players the same skills he once learned. Dawsey noted that some alumni have gone on to earn college esports scholarships. “That’s been really cool to see.”
How a Parks and for Youth Sports Operators
FloCo Gaming survived COVID, runs on modest funding, and consistently fills its 40 to 50 spots per season. Club directors and facility operators facing their own participation declines have a replicable model to study. Esports programming can fill off-peak facility hours and attract a demographic that traditional leagues have not reached. Some of those new participants later crossed over into soccer and baseball, expanding the overall pipeline for traditional sports organizations within a single season cycle.
Source: Postandcourier
Image: Courtsey of Florence County Parks and Recreation
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