Meet Adam Stanley

In March, Baylor welcomed Adam Stanley, M.Div. ’12, as its first esports director and coach to continue the rapid development of the University’s collegiate esports program. Stanley joined Baylor after growing Brewton-Parker College into a national esports powerhouse in which his teams won nine conference championships, among other accolades. He also serves on the board of directors for the National Association of Collegiate Esports and the Voice of Intercollegiate Esports.

How did you get into gaming?

I was involved in traditional sports in high school, but my best friend had cystic fibrosis that prevented him from doing physical activity. He and I spent time together playing video games. This experience helped me understand the importance of gaming as a way of connection.  

What drives your passion around coaching and developing players?

Having excelled at gaming in my college years, I believe today’s competitive gaming culture can be a powerful tool for students to thrive — socially, emotionally, academically and spiritually.

What does your primary role at Baylor entail?

I support Baylor’s club-level esports team, OSO Esports, which has been competing for about 10 years. I also am building a competitive esports team that will participate in national tournaments, actively recruiting esports student-athletes and offering scholarships for top talent.

What else do you hope Baylor’s esports program will do?

Build a strong community of well-rounded athletes. There’s an epidemic of loneliness among adolescents. Esports can be a tremendous counter-cultural tool for connections and relationships among students. I also want to mentor students and help them be the best version of themselves.

Engage in research that broadens the understanding and impact of gaming. Baylor has made a commitment to research across the University. The gaming space provides a unique opportunity to better understand the human and technological aspects of gaming. 

Support school leaders who want to use gaming in similar ways. There are thousands of educators in the K-12 space who see the value in esports, but many of them do not fully understand the gaming landscape. Baylor has a tremendous opportunity to inspire, guide and provide structure to students and programs eager for direction. 

Lead efforts to build a healthy esports culture nationally. National data tell us that nearly 90% of adolescents are gamers at some level. We feel a responsibility to build the structure, discipline and guardrails to make this a legitimate pathway to college and beyond.