KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Students across Kansas are making history this week, competing in the first-ever Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) Esports State Championship.
The championship, which marks the end of KSHSAA’s inaugural esports season, will be held in person on Friday and Saturday inside the district’s newly constructed esports arena, located at the Olathe Public Schools Innovation Campus.
Construction resumes on $375M American Royal campus in Kansas
According to the district, “The facility is the first of its kind in the region and was designed specifically for high-level competitive play and live esports events.”
The state-of-the-art esports arena at the Innovation Campus was created with the help of Bond 2022 voters and industry partners, like McCownGordon Construction, DLR Group, CCS and Howard Technology Solutions.
It is said to mirror other professional and collegiate esports venues, giving student teams from each school a “purpose-built environment” to compete.
Esports competitors will play various games throughout the tournament and the 2025-2026 season, including Rocket League, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Smash Bros.
Competing in these games requires a number of skills, like strategy, communication and problem-solving, all of which can be translated outside of the competition.
‘It’s going to be exciting’
KSHSAA esports athletes will compete this weekend in Rocket League, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Smash Bros.
Two Blue Valley teams made it to the first-ever KSHSAA Esports State Championship. They’re competing in the final four on Friday – playing Mario Kart and Rocket League.
Olathe Public Schools will host the first-ever KSHAA Esports State Championship at its Innovation Campus.
Teams from Olathe, Wichita and Blue Valley Schools qualified for state.
“We’re excited, we don’t really know what to expect, as the last five years that we’ve done esports it’s all been virtual. So, to have it in person, it’s going to be exciting,” said TJ Slade, head esports coach at Blue Valley High School.
He said the season is six weeks.
This year, they had 20 students on the roster. There are about 50 players in the district.
His team practices in person here at Bluhawk in Overland Park at least 1-2 times a week.
Scrimmage, games and practice paid off. Two teams are playing for the first state title in Mario Kart and Rocket League.
“Just go for it man,” Eli Bower said.
He’s on the Rocket League team playing at state.
Bower is a senior at Blue Valley High School. He’s committed to playing soccer at Rockhurst next year. This year, he decided to take those skills digital, scoring goals on screen.
Bower joined the Esports team this season.
“I love it,” Bower said. “Athletes are kind of not just based off of their physical attributes, but the way they like to compete, and I feel like Rocket League and other games for esports bring that same energy.”
Slade said last year, one of his student-athletes received a scholarship to play Rocket League in college.
He’s excited for these athletes and the future of esports.
“If we win on Friday, we have a pretty good chance of winning the overall title and that gets the kids even more excited,” Slade said, “Because not only are they looking to win the individual state championship in their game, but they could also win the first-ever inaugural state championship, which gets them pretty pumped up.”
The semis kick-off Friday at the Olathe Innovation Campus.
According to the district, the KSHSAA Esports State Championship will operate in the same way as all KSHSAA state competitions. For more information about the competition, click here.
