Esports tournament connects high school students with community, tech careers

With the surge in popularity of competitive esports in high schools and colleges, Santiago Canyon College esports director Roshan Uma said hosting a high school competition on campus would expose students to competitive gaming at the college level.

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On April 25, SCC hosted its first high school esports competition to give young gamers insight into opportunities available at the community college level and beyond.

“Having a high school connection, especially as a community college, is super important for a multitude of reasons,” Uma said. “Sometimes this is the first time these students have even been on a college campus, so we might as well make this their first experience a positive one.”

Esports competitions are structured much like traditional athletic events, Uma said.

At the SCC event, four high school teams competed in League of Legends and six competed in Valorant, both in five-on-five team formats.

Between players, family members and supporters, the competition attracted about 80 attendees.

Ethan Chung, a junior at Troy High School in Fullerton who competed in Valorant, said high school esports competitions are usually played online from home, which limits interaction with teammates and opponents.

At the SCC tournament, Chung was able to play alongside his teammates, celebrate together and hear live crowd reactions, creating a more exciting and meaningful experience.

“It feels amazing. It feels better than normal because if we do something good together, then I can look to my left and fist bump,” Chung said. “It’s a lot more fun than just being at home because you’re in a new setting, so it’s exciting.”

Chung also found it meaningful to interact with opposing players face-to-face, something he had not experienced in previous competitions.

“I think it’s great for the community in general because it provides opportunities for people to meet each other,” Chung said.

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SCC began developing its esports program in early 2024. The esports lab opened in September 2024, and SCC made esports an official college sport in the fall 2025 semester.

The program began with only a handful of students and has expanded to about 40, Uma said. While not every student competes at the highest level, the program is structured to be equitable and inclusive.

Students who do not make competitive teams are encouraged to become student leaders, focusing on event planning, logistics, tournament operations, technology troubleshooting and hospitality.

Gamers in SCC’s esports program represent a wide range of academic disciplines, Uma said. Some major in STEM fields, while others study business or art.

SCC student Jimmy Burns, who is enrolled in the college’s Water Utility Science program, participates in esports for the enjoyment rather than competition. Burns prefers a behind-the-scenes role, helping with technology setup, troubleshooting and organization.

Helping with the high school competition was a “labor of love,” Burns said.

“This is something I love to do,” Burns said. “I love working with the kids. I love working with the hardware. I love the games, too. So, all of it is something I love participating in.”

At SCC and many other colleges, esports participants are treated as student-athletes and can earn transferable academic units, Uma said.

Esports can also connect students to broader career pathways beyond playing, including marketing, media production and coaching, he said.

“When I was in high school, esports as a career path was really unheard of unless you were a professional player,  unless you were the cream of the crop,” said Joaquin Legasp, assistant director of the esports program at SCC. “But a lot of these kids are just kids who love to compete, who love esports and who love video games. Why not give them a space, an opportunity, to do something? Having esports integrated into an educational institution gives them a reason to come to school and a reason to have a community.”

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