KUWAIT: Kuwait Esports Club held a virtual workshop on esports in partnership with Al-Bayan Bilingual School through Zoom. The hour-and-a-half workshop discussed the indicators and standards of esports, club goals, means of coordinating tournaments, role of players and organizers and how to run activities, be they onsite or online, while observing social distancing and health precautions.
The workshop was opened by KEC Treasurer Nada Al-Gharaballi. She spoke about the role and social responsibility of the club towards parents, players and students. She said parents must be fully informed with regards to esports, as participation is notably on the rise, particularly during the global pandemic. Most children have been at home for a long time and parents must guide their children towards various positive activities.
KEC Chairman Abdulla Al-Ali said this workshop is within the club's educational programs to make students and players aware of esports and managing activities. He said Kuwait is considered an important destination for esports because of the presence of many professional players.
Ali said the club holds a minimum of three championships every month and seeks to coordinate many activities with schools, colleges and universities, and club members. It previously organized many local and international championships. "We are pleased to exchange expertise with educational establishments in organizing sports activities online, particularly under the current extraordinary circumstances," Ali said.
Secretary General of KEC Faisal Abul spoke about the importance of such events, organizational procedures and management. He said all rules and standards in use during local tournaments are professional laws used in tournaments worldwide to guarantee the right choice of players in Kuwait and prepare them for international tournaments.
Member of the teaching faculty at Gulf University for Science and Technology Dr Al-Baraa Al-Tourah was invited to the workshop. He said esports are linked to knowledge skills such as focus, memory and problem solving. The games' challenges cannot be overcome without these skills, he said, adding these games polish these skills and build on them.
Manager of the Business Banking Department at the National Bank of Kuwait Hamad Al-Mutawa, who is also a member of the technical committee of KEC, participated as an official spokesperson in the workshop. He talked about the esport sector in general and spoke in depth on the commercial matters of this sport. He said esports have a promising fanbase worldwide, estimated to be more than 300 million people, adding he is looking forward to developing a special market for esports.
KEC hosted International Esports Federation Secretary Boban Totovski as a guest of honor at the workshop to speak to students about his experience with esports. Totovski spoke about the importance of the international network that links players through international tournaments throughout the year. "I advise students to concentrate on their school homework and do sports training in general. The true secret for success is when a person balances the management of their time," he said.
Student Shaheen Al-Rabee participated with the speakers at the workshop and was hosted by the club to share his experiences that he gained by organizing three official club tournaments with KEC. "I volunteered for organization and it was a unique experience. I was guided by club officials, and this gave me experience in managing tournaments and activities. I learned the importance of complying with match timings," Rabee said.
The discussion round reflected Al-Bayan Bilingual School's interest in esports, as the school prepared a special club for students interested in this sport under the management of Fatima Al-Bader. The workshop was designed for students and technical players in Kuwait to spread awareness about activities related to esports and its management.
The workshop was attended by representatives from Al-Bayan Bilingual School, its students and hobbyists to gain knowledge. The workshop provided special data about esports, besides involving several experts from various esport fields and supporters.