Esports is growing in Saskatchewan, but is more established in other regions in Canada. (Submitted photo/Michael Maurer)

By Derek Cornet

video games

SMVS claims U18 Esport Canada Amateur Grand Championship title

Apr 22, 2024 | 5:14 PM

A new extracurricular club at Senator Myles Venne School has claimed the U18 Esport Canada Amateur Grand Championship.

The club was started in the fall of 2023 by teacher Michael Maurer and it includes students Brandon Bird (captain), Keanon Bird and Robin Clinton. The championship, which was held virtually over the weekend, consisted of 29 middle and high schools across the country in either the amateur category or competitive.

“We went into the amateur playoff bracket,” Maurer explained.

“First was the best of three in Rocket League, then we moved to semi-finals where it was the best of five and we won. We went to the grand finals, which is best of five and we beat that. That’s how we got first place in the amateur championship.”

Rocket League is a multiplayer vehicular soccer video game in which a session has up to eight players assigned to each of the two teams, using rocket-powered vehicles to hit a ball into their opponent’s goal and score points over a match.

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Maurer noted when he approached the school’s principal last fall about starting an Esports club, he was supportive and provided enough funding to purchase some Nintendo Switch consoles, as well as an Xbox Series S.

“Some people say it is just playing video games and stuff, but I find it is still like other sports where it is the same sort of. It takes away the physical aspect, but it still teaches team work, working together, social skills and how it can adapt into real life skills,” Maurer added.

“In order to get the title, they had work together, communicate, talk to each other. When they weren’t speaking to each other, the other team was making goals and, when they started communicating what they were doing, that’s when they started winning their matches.”

Esports is growing in Saskatchewan, but is more established in other provinces. The provincial group is called the Saskatchewan Esports Association, while the national one is called Esports Canada EDU.

Brandon Bird, who is a Grade 11 student, said he is an avid video game player who enjoys playing after school and on the weekends. He started playing Rocket League three years ago and he mentioned he was surprised they were able to earn the national amateur title so quickly.

“I enjoyed doing good in both of the tournaments, seeing how good I am against players on my skill and knowing how much I can improve by watching them play,” Brandon Bird said.

“In our first games, it was in the competitive bracket and those guys were way better than us. I was like learning a lot by watching them play.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com