• GameWard's summer esport courses take place from Monday to Friday during half-day sessions open to 12-17 year olds.

  • Sessions are billed at € 180 per week at the rate of 10 places per session.

  • Other internships should emerge during the next school holidays.

"Aylan, it's not good you spawn kill! *", Says Antoine, 13 years old. The battle is tough in the training room of the GameWard premises in Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine). Sitting on state-of-the-art player chairs, a dozen young people indulge in a frenzied game of Fortnite, under the watchful eye of Ewan, a supervisor specializing in e-sport coaching, and animators from the Boulogne leisure center. -Billancourt, the town hall having financed this week of coaching.

During five days, during sessions of 3 and a half hours, the teenagers' playing technique will be analyzed, punctuated by the enlightened advice of the GameWard employee.

"It is important to teach children a healthy practice of video games, and to fight against excess anger linked to frustration", analyzes Ewan.

“You can seem moralistic when you explain to them that you have to eat well, pay attention to your posture or to eye fatigue.

However, the words of the coach carry.

Facing him, the teens, boiling in front of the screen, regain their calm in an instant.

"For some, it is the first time that they play on PC"

It must be said that the record of GameWard has something to attract the attention of gaming aficionados. This esport club primarily trains professional players, supporting sports and nutrition lessons. Moreover, it is Marcote's turn, a GameWard affiliate pro player, to enter the game. "We're going to be laminated" launches a young man, looking annoyed. "I raise the stakes, whoever manages to beat Marcote, I pay him a Five Guys" launches host Christophe, laughing.

For many participants, video games are a real discovery, especially on computers.

“For some, it's the first time they've played on a PC,” observes Gaël, also accompanying the recreation center.

“Home consoles are more affordable, while a computer is much more expensive.

But others are more comfortable.

Like Aylan, whose abilities impress the manager.

In the middle of a "battle royale" against Marcote who drums frantically the keyboard of his PC, he returns blow for blow.

Suddenly, surprise: Aylan won his burger.

"It's up to us to defuse rather than blame the game"

Behind the good-natured atmosphere, the course is an opportunity to tackle certain excesses. “Given the generational shock, I understand that it is difficult for parents to supervise the practice,” argues Ewan. “We try to raise awareness of the risks of addiction. In some cases, parents may discover that their child has stolen their credit card in order to afford a skin, a virtual outfit of their player on Fortnite. For them, it is like personalizing their profile on a social network, it is a need for identification against which it is difficult to fight. "

The solution is immediately suggested: “It's up to us to defuse rather than blame the game.” Ewan's most valuable advice to parents: “instead of being hostile to this practice, we must try to understand, to share this moment with the child.

By getting behind the screen and understanding your need for identification, you can value a game outfit in exchange for rewards for good grades.

"It's almost the end of the first day of coaching and Marcote is already on the move, time to provide professional advice to apprentice gamers:" You have to know how to have fun, love what you do.

But the most important thing is to work at school to be serious about the game. "

* Spawn kill means killing a video game character within seconds of reappearing.

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  • Fortnite

  • Boulogne-Billancourt

  • Video games