For the second year in a row, the Elizabethtown Area High School esports team won the state championship, and now the team will soon have its own space on the school's campus.

State Sen. James Andrew Malone recently announced an $80,000 state grant he helped secure for the school to install a state-of-the-art, ADA-accessible esports arena.

The award was made possible through discretionary funds that state lawmakers can secure for projects within their districts.

"I was proud to advocate for this funding that will provide a permanent space and equipment so the esports program at Elizabethtown Area High School can continue to thrive," said Sen. Malone. "Everyone deserves an opportunity to feel connected to their school and find community. This program does that for Etown students by giving kids of different physical abilities the opportunity to put on a jersey and represent their school in heated competitions across the state."

Before receiving the grant, Elizabethtown Area High School's growing Unified esports team had no official funding from the school district. Coach Austin Henderson and the student-athletes relied on fundraising to support the club and cover travel expenses for competitions. Despite having limited resources and no permanent practice space, the team has already earned impressive accomplishments, including Pennsylvania Interscholastic Esports Association (PIEA) state championships in Overwatch and Marvel Rivals. In addition, three seniors have received esports-specific scholarship offers.

"I was especially proud to support this project because the students and their coach, Austin Henderson, have achieved great success while supporting the program through the club's fundraising efforts alone," Malone stated.

The high school has had an esports team since 2018. Henderson became involved with the team three years ago, and he acknowledges that esports might not be a subject many people understand well.

He explained that the sport is similar to traditional sports such as basketball or soccer, but instead of a physical ball and court, the competition takes place in a video game. "Esports" is short for "electronic sports" and is, at the heart, organized, competitive video gaming.

Like other sports, esports players train rigorously, rely on teamwork to succeed and use skills such as strategic planning to win. The sport requires sharp mental skills and quick decision making under pressure.

"We are incredibly grateful to Sen. Malone for recognizing the value of our esports program and the opportunities it creates for students," said Elizabethtown Area School District superintendent Tom Strickler. "This grant will help us provide a dedicated space where students can develop meaningful skills, build lasting relationships, and prepare for success both in competition and beyond."

Elizabethtown Area High School's esports club competes through the PIEAand Pennsylvania Scholastic Esports League, organizations that promote learning, opportunity, community, diversity and respect. They host tournaments throughout the year featuring dozens of high schools from across Pennsylvania. Along with developing skills such as collaboration and problem-solving, students also have access to leadership roles and other nongaming opportunities.

Esports continue to experience rapid growth in high schools across the country, and many colleges now offer scholarships for esports athletes. Elizabethtown Area High School's team currently includes 32 students who compete in a variety of multiplayer video games, including League of Legends, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros. and Marvel Rivals.