Daniel Sportello, Director of Esports at Utica University talks Fitness and Wellbeing
As the Director of Esports at Utica University, Daniel Sportello says in his own words, “Everything an athletics director would do [for sports], I do for esports.” Sports in education, at every level, is an American institution and esports has a very long way to go to catch up to it. Sportello says that even gaming clubs should be taking things more seriously.
“Something that I feel more programs should be doing is increasing the level of seriousness that they’re taking in their varsity program.” That’s because he believes that esports has what it takes to be as popular as traditional sports. “At the end of the day, all of the characteristics that make a traditional sport a sport, they’re the same thing in esports. The only difference is you’re not getting up and tackling someone with pads on.”
It’s why he pushes for accountability and talks about increased expectations for the team captains and always doing better. If there’s no accountability, “We shouldn’t be allowed to call esports a sport,” Sportello says.
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