The last time that any eSport was played in school was during the 2020 Lockdown period, where Sancta Maria College was represented in an online League of Legends New Zealand tournament. Five years later, the Digital Technologies department and student leaders have overseen the reintroduction of eSports into school life, supported by peers and teachers alike. In 2025 alone, more than 120 students from all year groups participated in at least one term of eSports, with only three teams being able to lift a championship trophy together on the big stage.
The year began with Valorant, with a large number of students playing. This caused a rise in popularity for eSport, resulting in a good team count with fierce competition, and a fantastic final to watch. Backed by student demand, two more eSports were added to the line-up for the remainder of the year, with a nostalgic Minecraft Bedwars season in Term 2 followed by a tight but engaging Rocket League season in Term 3; with vehicles playing soccer, to end the year off. This created a safe and vibrant space for students to hang-out with their friends, play the games in their friend groups and teams, and provide friendly competition against other students with the same interests.
A massive highlight at the end of each term (in time to kick off every school holiday) was the final hosted in our auditorium. At the end of each eSport, a Grand Final was hosted LIVE in front of the school for not only the finalists to show how much they grew as players throughout the tournament, but to allow fellow students and teachers to witness the games students enjoy on the big screen, like a sporting event. In Terms 1 and 3, a special teacher’s game was arranged to allow teachers to try their hand at video games, alongside giving the students something they rarely see – teachers playing games! Whilst every player who participated went out of the tournament with plenty of new experiences, lessons and techniques learnt, and learning the importance of teamwork; there were only three teams: The Unicorns, Keynetics Ram3’s Revenge, and The Suspect Squad that walked away with a trophy in their hands and a championship under their belt.
A massive thank you goes to Mr. Glasse, Mrs. Al-Rubaie, Ms. Smith, Mr. Gutry and Mrs. Fernandes, the teacher team responsible for organising each tournament and providing the resources to make this experience a fun and engaging opportunity for all who wish to join. A special thank you goes to the AV and eSports Student Teams, who were the driving force from the student body into making this event a reality, as eSports will continue in their hands.
