Champions Emerge: PlayVS Celebrates the Biggest Esports Winners of 2023, On and Off the Screen

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Dec 18, 2023, 09:00 ET

The positive impact of esports was on full display in 2023 as students across the U.S. took home championship titles while gaining sportsmanship, camaraderie and personal growth

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PlayVS, the leading esports platform for varsity leagues in North America, is celebrating its biggest champions of the Fall 2023 Championship Season–both on and off the screen. While many of this season's winners will take home a trophy, the real winners are those who've tapped the power of esports to overcome obstacles while growing their character.

Wynne High School in Arkansas is a powerful example: The school was hit directly by a tornado in March, rendering 90% of the building unusable. Facing tremendous adversity, the esports team persevered not only by salvaging their gear and completing their season -- but by reaching the Arkansas State Championship in League of Legends.

Nebraska's Central High School also found new meaning through esports this year: Student Miles Severe found new avenues for team sport participation, despite battling ongoing health challenges. Miles participated in a few sports throughout his life, but none were a fit like esports -- where he quickly became one of his team's top players in Super Smash Bros. Central is ranked fourth overall in the U.S.

Taylor Frost, the PlayVS Cup National 2023 Champion in NBA 2K, cites lessons of grit and confidence in his esports journey. As a dual member of the Eastern High School (Washington D.C.) basketball and esports teams, he applies lessons in relationship building, discipline, and teamwork to real life. His goal is to pursue esports professionally.

For students everywhere, esports represents a unifying and inspirational force, breaking down traditional boundaries while promoting personal growth.

"The best wins of the year aren't confined to the game itself. They are human victories that transcend the esports arena," said Jon Chapman, PlayVS CEO. "The 2023 Fall season has showcased the transformative power of esports, shaping not just skilled players, but resilient individuals who embrace teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship. Each student has carved a unique path within the esports realm, and it's been fantastic to witness as esports empowers both personal growth and school spirit. Congratulations to all of the Fall 2023 participants and winners."

On-screen, PlayVS is celebrating its official State and Regional Champions across the most popular gaming titles. A full list of Fall 2023 Champions can be seen at www.playvs.com/news/f23-champions. Notable winners include:

Bob Jones High School in Alabama marked its eighth consecutive Rocket League state title, adding victories in League of Legends and securing runner-up status in Madden.
Edmond Santa Fe High School in Oklahoma kicked off its season competing at a McDonald's due to a lack of Wi-Fi and space. Despite the unconventional start, their esports team ended by winning the Oklahoma state championship in Mario Kart.
James Clemens High School in Alabama's all-girls Splatoon 3 team took home the first-ever state title in the game.
Trenton Pigg at Great Crossing High School in Kentucky secured his second Madden State Championship, overcoming three previous runner-up finishes.
Brookwood High School in Georgia made it to the finals in three different esports, including League of Legends, Super Smash Bros., and Mario Kart.

In November 2023, PlayVS announced it would remove competition enrollment fees for all state and regional leagues, enabling students to partake in the highest tier of scholastic competition across the most popular gaming titles beginning with the Spring 2024 season. PlayVS is focused on increasing access to esports to ensure the many benefits associated with competitive gaming–including socialization, character growth, and the development of STEAM skills–are available to as many students as possible.

For more information on the winners of the Fall 2023 Championships, visit www.playvs.com/news/f23-champions. For more information or to register for the Spring 2024 season, please visit www.playvs.com.

ABOUT PLAYVS
PlayVS (pronounced Play Versus) is North America's leading scholastic esports platform, on a mission to unlock the many benefits of esports for players everywhere. PlayVS offers a single community in which players, coaches, educators and parents come together to compete, connect and grow through the power of esports. PlayVS is the official high school esports partner to the NFHS Network, the Special Olympics and state and regional organizations in the U.S. and Canada that offer officially sanctioned scholastic esports leagues. To learn more about PlayVS, visit https://playvs.com/.