Nerd Street Gamers, the national network of esports facilities and events dedicated to powering competitive opportunities for gamers, and Butler University have partnered to host the University’s inaugural virtual esports summer camp, Camp Localhost, presented by Butler Esports. Starting June 29, teens ages 14-18 will have the opportunity to participate in a structured, week-long online esports camp focusing on a variety of video games, including Overwatch, Rocket League, League of Legends, and Fortnite. These boot camps will be held through Discord, where campers will be virtually overseen by a coach, who will run games, drills, and matches throughout the duration of the week.
Camp Localhost coaches will provide a structured environment for participants to learn about the fundamentals of competitive gaming, map and game strategy, team dynamics, and effective communication skills. In addition to improving their gaming abilities, campers will take away various skills throughout the sessions that they can apply to other aspects of their lives, including teamwork, communication, and the ability to stay calm under pressure. Nerd Street Gamers is providing the logistics for the clinics, including professional instructors and camp programming. Butler Esports will also provide coaches, along with communications and recruitment of players.
“Our partnerships—including our latest with Butler Esports—allow us to address the shortage of competitive frameworks for young gamers and provide a gateway to collegiate and professional leagues,” said John Fazio, Founder and CEO at Nerd Street Gamers. “Nerd Street Gamers is taking a unique approach to competitive gaming, and we’re excited to provide an opportunity for gamers who may have experienced the cancellation of many traditional summer camps this year. Our partnership with Butler allows us to engage and connect aspiring players in an online esports camp, while fostering relationships with a prominent collegiate esports league.”
Since 2017, the Butler Esports group has been competing in intercollegiate esports, including the Big East Conference. Its administration brings this experience to Camp Localhost to empower students to truly become ingrained in the games. Every session will allow campers to scrimmage, practice their skills, and then evaluate their performance with structured, individualized feedback from instructors. The camps will also include daily seminars from industry experts, professional players, and more.
“Esports and gaming continues to grow on our campus, especially after launching our first dedicated Esports and Gaming Center in our Atherton Union,” said Dr. Frank E. Ross, VP for Student Affairs at Butler. “We must continue to evolve with our students’ passions recreationally and competitively. This provides clear connectivity of our students through employment opportunities that will enhance our student experience and career aspirations, while also developing the student of tomorrow.”
Across the nation, COVID-19 has disrupted events and industries. Due to safety concerns, traditional summer camps have been postponed, creating a unique opportunity for esports to offer an alternative solution and fill the void for structured summer activities. Camp Localhost offers gamers and parents a worry-free, safe option to participate in a traditional summer camp experience, while teaching valuable life lessons virtually amid the pandemic.
“We look forward to this new camp and the partnership with Nerd Street Gamers,” said Eric Kammeyer, Director of Esports and Gaming Technology at Butler. “With so many traditional in-person camps postponed, we modified to launch our first-ever esports summer camp in virtual format to bring our program to the participant. Our Butler Esports program strives to lay a strong holistic foundation with three pillars in mind: Community, Curriculum and Competition. We believe this is another strong partnership that highlights those elements by delivering impactful learning in a new way to our current and prospective students.”
When:
- June 29 – July 2: Fortnite
- July 13 – July 16: Rocket League
- July 20 – July 24: Overwatch
- July 27 – July 31: League of Legends
Cost: $200
To register for Camp Localhost, presented by Butler Esports, visit nerdstgamers.com/butler.
About Nerd Street Gamers
Nerd Street Gamers is a national network of esports facilities and events dedicated to powering competitive opportunities for gamers. The company promotes greater access to the esports industry, laying a national framework for esports talent development and high-quality gaming tournaments. NSG has received backing from Five Below, Comcast, SeventySix Capital, Elevate Ventures, and angel investor George Miller. For more information, follow @nerdstgamers on Twitter or visit nerdstgamers.com.
About Butler University
Butler University is a nationally recognized comprehensive university encompassing six colleges: Arts, Business, Communication, Education, Liberal Arts & Sciences, and Pharmacy & Health Sciences. Approximately 4,600 undergraduate and 800 graduate students are enrolled at Butler, representing 45 states and 30 countries. More than 75 percent of Butler students will participate in some form of internship, and Butler students have had significant success after graduation, as demonstrated by the University’s 98 percent placement rate within six months of graduation. The University was recently listed as the No. 1 regional university in the Midwest, according to the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings, in addition to being included in The Princeton Review’s annual “best colleges” guidebook.
Media Contact:
Brownstein Group (on behalf of Nerd Street Gamers)
nerdstreet@brownsteingroup.com
(215) 735-3470