When it comes to getting kids involved in team sports, it shouldn’t stop at gaming. Teacher Chris Aviles saw an opportunity to use kids’ love of gaming to create a team atmosphere and developed the first middle school esports team through Garden State Esports.

He now helps kids from all over through school teams and events, helping them cultivate their love for gaming in a team atmosphere. Garden State Esports He joins Megan Van Patten on this episode of Esports Connected to talk about his journey to creating and building this organization, and what he sees for its future.

Garden States Esports is a nonprofit founded by educators, Garden and is the organizing body of scholastic esports for New Jersey. Their mission is to create high-quality, student-centered experiences through scholastic esports so ALL students can use esports as a platform to grow socially, emotionally, and academically.

Chris talks about how the pandemic provided him opportunities to expand the team, the obstacles they continue to overcome to bring this brand to the masses, and how sponsorships have helped him offer this service to kids for free.

He also talks about what’s next for this amazing organization.

To find out more, visit: gsesports.org or email Chris at:

chris@gsesports.org

Full Episode Breakdown:

1:08 – Meeting Chris and learning more about how Garden State Esports was created. 

3:46 – Why after 8 years Chris finally had the opportunity to start his own esports team and was the first middle school esports team in the country.

4:50 – Chris talks about how the pandemic really provided a great opportunity to help everything really grow.

7:39 – Chris talks about how esports is becoming more and more of students’ identities.

12:18 – Chris talks about the data he has collected, and how people can help him with taking his mission to a bigger place.

19:04 – Chris talks about the cool projects he’s working on, and the different initiatives Garden Esports is involved in.

21:56 – Chris talks about some of the large brands that have helped bring his vision to life.

25:59 – Chris talks about how important the relationships and help he has received has been to his organization.

31:24 – Chris talks about why it’s so important for him to find funding so they don’t have to charge for kids to play.

33:15 – Chris talks about his favorite part of the job.

35:39 – Chris talks about his passion for helping the kids, and why it’s so important for him to help them be highlighted through their passions.

42:35 – Chris talks about who his dream brand for sponsorship would be.

46:44 – Chris gives his parting advice.