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Esports, or electronic sports, has quickly evolved into a multibillion dollar industry, spawning a generation of dedicated gamers and fans.
Whether on a PC or on a console such as Playstation or Xbox, young people have increasingly leaned on gaming as a source of enjoyment, turning competitive gaming into a cultural phenomenon.
But with the rise of online gaming comes increased concerns from parents regarding cybersafety.
The Oscar Lasko YMCA & Childcare Center in West Chester is offering a solution to please kids and guardians. The Y branch location has partnered with Doylestown-based Metro Esports to launch an esports lab in September 2024 for people to game communally and safely.
“We wanted to offer a different space for the kids that might not have been involved in the traditional sports aspect of the YMCA,” said Taylor Kassel, the executive director of the branch.

In the neon-lit lab at the Y, there are 12 PC stations and three TVs that connect to a Nintendo Switch, Playstation 5 or Xbox on game titles such as “Fortnite,” “Minecraft,” “Overwatch,” “Roblox” and “Valorant.” The esports lab restricts titles depending on the gamer’s age.
Using a combination of AI-software from Kidas and in-person human proctors, the esports lab is meant to create an enjoyable setting for kids to game with one another while limiting the risk of cyberbullying and online predators.
“What I’ve come to realize from parents is that they don’t understand the inner workings of video games but they know that they can come here and they know that their kids are safe because it’s a YMCA,” Kassel said.
John Zabel, 10, who was recently at the Y for summer camp, said having the esports lab available makes him want to come back even more.
“I just like playing in a room where I know that it’s a safe area where I can play with friends and stuff like that,” he said.
Bridging the gap between what’s real and artificial
The lab also offers STEM programming, lessons and gaming tournaments. STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and math, has become a focal point in improving the education system in America as the country has lagged behind other developed nations on the topics of science and math on standardized tests.
“We have coding classes. We have building-your-own-PC classes. We have things that touch on engineering, mathematics, coding, all of that,” Metro Esports marketing director Katie Pierce said. “We like to meet kids where they’re at with gaming and where their passions currently are to just propel them into these careers that otherwise they might not have been introduced to or they might not have the interest in otherwise.”

Kassel said the lab serves kids as young as 6 through adults, but most of the users tend to be between the ages of 8 and 12. She added that 300 to 500 members and nonmembers use the lab each month. During the summer, camp members game in the area.
Evan Decker, a recent Drexel University graduate, works as a camp instructor for Metro Esports and has been helping kids navigate an evolving virtual world.
“It’s hard and it’s getting harder and harder for our youth and even us as adults to sort of manage and appropriately and responsibly help our kids manage the new world that’s constantly changing,” Decker said. “So, our main purpose is to bridge that gap.”

As a lab proctor, Decker is constantly monitoring the screens for problems while also reviewing the AI-generated Kidas report to see if users are falling victim to online bullying or harassment.
“The biggest benefit to bring kids here is we do offer that service of making sure that they’re always safe, they’re enjoying themselves and that they’re not getting into any situations that are dangerous or bad for their mental health,” Decker said.
This is the only esports lab within the YMCA of Greater Brandywine. Three other branches within the nearby River Crossing YMCA also have their own setups. Metro Esports has also expanded its reach to locations in Alabama and New York.
“It’s just changing the landscape of who’s coming to the Y,” Pierce said.
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