Dual career students organise Online tournaments for students together with Tilburg during pandemic
Since the start of the lockdowns in March 2020 education as we know it has not been the same. Lectures are hosted via Zoom, discussion in breakout rooms and papers written with sharing your screens and working online. Students have been able to adapt to the new circumstances, but with the new restrictions that are needed to counter the second wave of Covid19 with a curfew that hits student life hard a different form of entertainment and social interaction is preferred.
Together with Tilburg municipality and multiple other stakeholders dual career students Rikke Schrauwen and Patrick de Brouwer, students of the Liberal Arts and Sciences program and part of the IQONIC startup incubator stationed at the Tilburg University campus, have rallied the region's stakeholders to provide a fitting social activity during the lockdown period. The tournaments and project can be found on their website gamingseriestilburg.nl.
Rikke Schrauwen has been active within the Esports and gaming community and said “...the online events are a suitable solution within the current period. Gaming and Esports are years ahead with regard to online communication and event management. We want to use this knowledge and network to provide students in the region with a platform for entertainment and social interaction….” Patrick de Brouwer, who is responsible for marketing and bringing attention to this event, emphasized that “…there is a growing sense of disconnection between people, especially young people. We want to re-establish that connection, and allow people to socialize again, in a responsible manner…”
Tilburg University has an important role in the process. One of the largest student associations for esports in the Netherlands, TSEA Link, has an active role and hosts the League of Legends tournament in the series. Tetsuya Saika, head of TSEA Link, stated that “As we are a Tilburg based e-sports association, this is a great medium to promote and connect gamers as TSEA Link. Provide them with educational and entertaining events that empower them to connect to each other, and other parties within the region.”
Esports and online gaming has been on the political agenda during 2019 and 2020. VVD Chairman, Maarten van Asten, spoke about his ambition to provide space to innovative initiatives that support young, cultural-sports and science within Tilburg, to the city councils early 2020 and has been supporting the students with their questions and road to hosting these events. “We want to be a leading city with regard to esports and online culture. Not only is it the future, but it is fun to watch!”
Furthermore Pro Players, part of Willem II esports, has jumped at the opportunity to help the students with their tournament. Dave Ansems, owner of Pro Players, has the goal “to put esports on the map in Tilburg… One of the important ways to do so is helping students such as Rikke and Patrick with their projects.”
Finally, another prominent force within the Tilburg city council and part of Chess community KiNG, Bob Jansen, joined the students to provide a broader array of games to the tournament series. He stated that, “As lovers of an old ‘classical’ board game we are thrilled to team up with eSports. Online chess is booming and this will be a great event for all gamelovers in the region of Tilburg.” Providing the region with 3 days of chess events with a special invite to grandmaster and student of Tilburg University, Max Warmerdam.
The plan for all the stakeholders is to provide the tournament throughout the year 2021 and connect students, institutions and the city to strengthen social cohesion and provide a safe and diverse medium for social interaction, strategy and entertainment during the pandemic.
