Over the past 9 years, I have served as the eSports coach for the High Tech eSports team. Many years ago, when I was a student at High Tech, I fondly recall playing video games on bus rides to school with friends of all ages. Occasionally, we'd gather in the bean bag room during free periods. Upon returning as a teacher of Interactive Media, I noticed students engaging in similar activities. Recognizing an opportunity to create a safe and inclusive space for students to connect over shared interests, I founded a video game club. This club provided an avenue for students to socialize, discuss gaming, and, most importantly, play together, offering an escape from the stresses of school and life while fostering friendships across different majors and years.
As eSports gained popularity worldwide, some students expressed interest in pursuing professional gaming. Reflecting on my own aspirations during high school and college, I understood their passion. With growing interest, our small club evolved into a flourishing eSports team, providing resources for competitive gaming. We initially formed a Super Smash Bros. 4 team, winning a local county tournament. Although high school eSports was still in its infancy, the experience was enjoyable for students, despite being primarily for bragging rights. Subsequently, Helix eSports in North Bergen proposed a partnership to establish a county-wide eSports league, an opportunity we eagerly embraced. Thus, our journey as an official High School eSports team commenced. Over time, our team expanded to include games like Overwatch and Rocket League.
Following success at the county level, Garden States eSports, a prominent state organization, invited us to join their league, elevating us from a county to a state competitive team, a proposition we accepted enthusiastically. We became the first team to win the State Finals in Overwatch, and our achievements extended to other games, including Smash Ultimate, Valorant, Rocket League, and League of Legends. We are now recognized as the top high school in New Jersey, boasting numerous state and county eSports championships. Additionally, our players have earned numerous All-Star awards in various games such as Smash, Street Fighter 6, Overwatch, and Rocket League.

Currently the eSports team competes in the following games:
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Singles, Duos, Crews, and Valkyrie)
Overwatch
Rocket League (Duos and Trios)
Valorant
Street Fighter 6 (Crews)
Splatoon 3
League of Legends
Fortnite (Duos)
MultiVersus (Singles and Duos)
Chess (Through the Chess Club)

Accolades:
Super Smash Bros. 4: 2 County Championships
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: 8 County, 3 State, 1 National Championships
Overwatch: 2 County and 1 State Championship
Valorant: 2 County Championships
League of Legends: 1 State Championship
Rocket League: 2 County Championships