Video Athletic League plans tournament

Players as young as 8 can compete with written permission from parents.

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR

NILES — The concept of video competition goes to the next level Saturday at the Eastwood Expo Center.

The newly formed Video Athletic League will sponsor an all-day tournament from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The best video gamers in the region are invited to test their skills at Call of Duty 4, Madden 2010, HALO 3 or NBA 2K. All the games will be played on the Xbox 360 platform.

Contestants will be competing for a variety of prizes in the form of Eastwood Mall Complex Gift Cards. The third- gift cards, Second-place is worth up to $250, and the first-place winner will take away gift cards worth up to $500.

Gamers may register online at www.videoathleticleague.net or in person at the Eastwood Expo Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the day of the tournament. The doors open at 10 a.m., and actual competition begins at Noon. Players as young as 8 years old may participate with written permission from their parents. There is no registration fee. For more information, call (800) 959-3575.

Video Athletic League CEO/President Timothy Caffey said, “It’s more than just gaming.” His concept calls for actual competitive-league play in organized teams and divisions set up across the country. The Ohio Cardinals recently signed players who will compete in both amateur and professional divisions. “The general managers are ready to go, and I think this is really something great,” said Caffey. League play gets under way April 3, 2010.

The league has established an education committee that will work on plans to utilize video gaming in conjunction with local schools as a means of motivating under- achieving students.