eSports Club Levels Up for an Exciting Year Ahead

Thursday, Oct 15, 2026

Students at desk playing esports

Hagersville Secondary School has unlocked a new type of engagement through eSports. A first-of-its-kind extracurricular in the Grand Erie District School Board, Nathan Rowbottom, teacher and coach, and his students laid the foundation for innovative connection and skill-building, and they're just getting started. 

Students in the NATIONS/New Start Program, located within Hagersville Secondary School, embarked on this journey in the 2025 North American League for MarioKart. In groups of four, schools competed over the span of six races, with a goal of earning the most collective team points in a best-of-three series. Points were earned based on each team's final position in the races, placing teamwork, strategy and consistency at the forefront of the challenge.

That spring, the team took on Rocket League, competing against more than 130 teams. NATIONS/New Start's roster, led by Captain Ryatt Brown-Miller, Aason Hill, Aaliyah LaForme and Damien Paterson, represented one of only two Canadian teams in the North American league. 

In its rookie season, NATIONS/New Start finished in an impressive 19th place overall.

Three students playing esports

Competing on an international scale brought forth a spectrum of challenges, success and ambition. Along the way, Coach Rowbottom lead the team through a series of challenges but looks forward to an improved 2026-27 eSports season. 

"This year, we're looking to recruit more students from Hagersville Secondary School," explained Rowbottom. In collaboration with Jeff Allison, Principal at Hagersville Secondary, the team secured a grant from the Haldimand Health Unit to purchase dedicated gaming consoles for the team, upgrade networking and hold more team-based practices.

Beyond competition, eSports provided opportunities for students to develop their technical and social skills with a shared goal in mind. Coach Rowbottom spoke to its impact in the classroom, bringing "a new type of excitement to the school experience," boosting student attendance and the eagerness to participate in school activities.

Students in classroom playing esports

Grand Erie is committed to nurturing students' unique talents to support their success across the board. STEAM Teacher Consultant, Miriam LaPeare hopes to expand the program to new schools as part of the ongoing collaboration with the University of Waterloo Varsity Team.

"It's our purpose to empower learners to explore their interests, build resilience in hardship, collaborate with their peers, and ultimately grow into future-ready individuals." said Kevin Graham, Superintendent of Education.

With a growing roster, new equipment, enhanced network and a year of experience behind them, Grand Erie's eSports presence is ready to level up. The year ahead promises opportunity for even more students to find their team, develop new skills and discover what they can accomplish together.

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