CCS Cougars takes 1st in International esports event
Written by: Shadi Hanna. Photo: Andrew Tran
Calgary Christian School takes first place in international esports event
On Thursday, December 12th, the Calgary Christian Secondary School (CCS) Cougars faced off against the Natrona County High School Mustangs in the PlayVS Fall Rocket League Championships. The Cougars battled hard and after a rocky start in the best-of-7 series, CCS took the victory with a final score of 4-2.
The team is composed of triplets; Nathan, Jonathan and Ethan Edem. The boys, who jokingly refer to themselves as Triplets #1, #2 and #3, have been a dominant force in the Canadian scholastic esports scene. Earlier this year, the team took 3rd place in the Alberta Scholastic Esports League’s Fall Rocket League tournament and went on to represent the province at Esport Canada’s national competition, placing in the Top 8 teams in the country.
“It’s a great feeling. I get to represent my community,” says Jonathan. The triplets have been huge supporters of the Albertan esports scene and have even started to amass a social media following, with their fans eager to watch the trio compete. “We’re trying to make [esports] a big thing in our city, and that starts off in our school,” shares Nathan.
Playing esports is a demanding endeavor and requires a lot of time and commitment to stay competitive. “[You have to] stay on top of your work,” adds Jonathan. “Put your school first.” The team practices multiple times a week, in addition to their weekly competitions and tournaments. The triplets take their team play very seriously, putting in countless hours of training and practice on their own time. “It’s an opportunity to show others that we’re here and that we’re here to stay,” says Nathan.
Principal Jadan Barthel says that starting an esports program at CCS was ultimately about creating an opportunity for students to participate in a community. “One of the things that led me down the path in the first place was just to create more spaces where students felt like they belonged,” says Jadan. “All of these other things that we develop through sports like volleyball and basketball can also be developed through [esports].”
The team practices out of one of the school’s computer labs. There are four gaming computers for students to use for now, but Barthel wants to keep growing. “We’re limited by the devices we have… I have students regularly asking to be part of [esports].”
The triplets will graduate this Spring, shortly after competing in the PlayVS Cup for a chance at a trophy and thousands of dollars in scholarship awards. “I want to leave behind a legacy. I want to leave behind a community,” says Ethan.
If you are interested in learning more about the Cougars esports program and how you can offer your support, connect with Jadan Barthel by email or phone:
jadan.barthel@pallisersd.ab.ca
(403) 462-0051
—
Rocket League is a 3v3 action soccer video game where players control rocket-powered battle cars in an enclosed pitch. The game is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and is available on multiple platforms.
For more information about the Alberta Scholastic Esports League, please visit https://www.esportsalberta.ca/asel
