Bullock, members of General Assembly named to inaugural PIEA board

HARRISBURG, Feb. 25 -- The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Esports Association this week announced the addition of members of Pennsylvania’s General Assembly to the organization’s board of directors including state Reps. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., and Mike Puskaric, R-Allegheny/Washington, and state Sens. Scott Martin, R-Lancaster, and Lisa Boscola, D-Lehigh.

The legislators will join educational and community leaders on the board with the goal of providing regulatory oversight and competition guidelines for interscholastic esports in Pennsylvania.

The PIEA was established in 2019 as one of the first governing bodies focused solely on esports in the country, and recently opened registration for their 2021 competitive season.

“I have witnessed firsthand the variety of benefits that esports has to offer, which is why I am honored to be serving on the PIEA’s board of directors to help advance their mission,” said Bullock, who also serves as the chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus. “As a mother of young boys who are interested in STEM learning and playing video games, I want to ensure that every student from all communities in Pennsylvania has the same level of access to esports competitions. There is a connection between academic and social-emotional achievement for students engaged in esports and that opportunity needs to be available to all students.”

Esports, or professional gaming, has been on the rise in both professional and academic settings in recent years. During the pandemic, esports has proven to be one of the few activities that students can participate in safely while being at home. Students can practice, compete, and be coached remotely.

In addition to the academic and social-emotional benefits to creating esports programs at the high school level, esports is advancing at the collegiate level, offering scholarship and career opportunities for video gamers and students interested in STEM professions.

For more information on esports and PIEA, visit interscholasticesports.org, or to register for PIEA, visit www.interscholasticesports.org/compete.