KCD Looks to Defend its State Title in Mario Kart

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - In Kentucky we love our racing. From the horses, to the Racing Louisville soccer team, to Mario Kart? “Boogedy, Boogedy, Boogedy....let’s go racing!” yells Kentucky Country Day senior, Roderick Purdy as the next race begins.

Esports are among the fastest growing high school sports in America. Games which now include the Nintendo sensation Mario Kart. “You know, I found Mario Kart and we ended up doing pretty good, and I was pretty good, so I liked it,” said senior Chase Savage.

These young athletes are doing what they love while erasing stereotypes of gaming one match at a time. “I would say that the conversation about video games not really being as viable has changed significantly,” claims Purdy. In a sport that has endless opportunities for players after high school. “I still get that push back from parents who are like I don’t know, and then you start telling them your kid could get a scholarship to go to college, and then they start to listen a little more closely,” said head coach, Danielle Brown.

For these Esport athletes playing Mario Kart isn’t just something they do after school, they’re playing for titles. Kentucky Country Day is in its fourth year of Esports competition. “I would say we probably started off with about 11 players, and I’d say we’re at about 17 or 18 now,” said Brown. The small, East End private school has won state titles in girls lacrosse, which is not sanctioned in Kentucky, but in December the Esports team won the school’s first KHSAA state title in, you guessed it, Mario Kart. Something team captain Roderick Purdy is still shocked by. “Just saying that sentence alone would have some people saying, what?” laughed Purdy.

The team is made up of players from different grades and backgrounds, and is already set to defend their title in Lexington next week. “Something you find fun, and then you can do that and possibly win like a trophy, or some money, or something like that, I mean that’s a blast. It’s the dream,” said Savage.

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