TAMPA, Fla. — Thanks to Super Bowl 55 and NFL legends Steve Young and Jerry Rice, a Tampa nonprofit will be able to build an esports arena for thousands of disadvantaged youth.
The Skills Center, led by Celeste Roberts, uses sports and physical activity to enhance leadership skills and boost futures.
"We create change through the power of sports," says Celeste.
Steve Young's Forever Young Foundation, and his 8 to 80 Zones program with Jerry Rice, donated $200,000 to the Skills Center as part of a Super Bowl initiative to help a program in that year's host city.
So now the kids in the Skills Center will be able to excel at sports outside -- and inside. Esports is an exceptional way to teach children about future careers in technology, media and more.
Derek Watford, an esports expert at High Point Gamer, which promotes economic empowerment, social inclusion and diversity via gaming, will help build the arena in a new facility set to open this summer.
"The challenge for us will be balancing the gameplay along with the programming, life skills and educational portions," says Watford.
