Gamers bring home national and international titles
Posted on September 29, 2021
The New Zealand National Esports Championships was scheduled to take place on 21 August with over 250 teams from 79 schools across the country competing for national honours.
All seven Macleans College Premier teams made it through the playoffs unscathed. This achievement was soon eclipsed by Macleans College having a team in all four national finals: NBA2K, Rocket League, League of Legends and Valorant. This feat is unheard of in New Zealand esports, and received national recognition as a result.
With the possibility of playing in front of a crowd being quashed due to COVID-19, the spectacle went online, with over 150 viewers coming in to watch the top teams battle it out. Three of the teams came up just short, and were rewarded with runner-up trophies and silver medals.
The Premier 1 Rocket League team took home the national title in style. Their success qualified them to represent New Zealand in the international secondary school competition. This international tournament showcased the top teams from over 93 schools across the world. The Macleans College team worked their way into the final which was broadcasted on 26 September to a digital attendance of over 200 viewers, including a sizeable caucus of Macleans College ākonga who tuned in support.
Although the team fell short in the final, this was the furthest a New Zealand team has ever gone in that discipline. The team consists of (Captain) Levon Lakmana Arachchige (Upham House), Oshan Premkumar (Upham) and James Swasbrook (Kupe).
Esports is a rapidly growing discipline, which has found root in the secondary schooling sector whereby ākonga benefit from the experience of the teamwork, enjoyment and camaraderie found in conventional sports. The ethos of the club at Macleans College is to foster healthier relationships through students’ digital interactions, and to provide a platform for them to share their passion for video games and competition in a responsible manner.
Through the discipline and competitive drive of the players the school has again succeeded on a national and international level. The club is grateful for both parental and school support this year, and will continue to expand operations next year as competition and opportunities continue to arise in this field.
Through the New Zealand Esports Federation, esports was given the status of an official sporting pursuit in 2020. This has since enabled collaborations between the Ministry of Education and esports organisations to provide educational and professional opportunities to kaiako and ākonga alike. With the regulation and formalisation of this sector, this looks set to continue, as our tamariki will continue to reap the benefits from such guidance and encouragement into the future.
