Putnam Science Academy places second in national esports competition

Matt Grahn, The Bulletin
Updated ·4 min read

In less than three years, Putnam Science Academy’s esports team has gone from nonexistent to placing second in the High School Esports League’s Nationals 2023 tournament for Rocket League. In addition, the team is sending four seniors to college to play esports.

Rocket League, which is like soccer with cars, was Putnam Science’s first game. Rocket League players flew out to Kansas City, Missouri, for the High School Esports League Nationals 2023, competing on May 19 and 20 among the top teams in the country.

The Mustangs made it to the finals, losing to Divine Child High School of Deerborn, Michigan.

Putnam Science Academy's Rocket League team finished second at the High School Esports League's 2023 Nationals.
Putnam Science Academy's Rocket League team finished second at the High School Esports League's 2023 Nationals.

On the hardwood: Road to Final Four goes through Putnam

This was a big achievement for a new program, Ibo Rivera, Putnam Science’s assistant esports coach and assistant director of marketing, said.

“Definitely upset we lost in the championship, but at the same time, it felt great competing against the best teams in the nation,” he said.

It was interesting to see the kinds of events Putnam Science plays in done on a larger scale and have the opportunity to meet other esports players from across the country, the school’s Rocket League Team Captain and Junior Gavin Lo Basco said.

The Mustangs won five state and regional championships for Rocket League across three different leagues, including ones for High School Esports League, this season.

Putnam Science Academy's Rocket League Captain and Junior Gavin Lo Basco practicing the game. He was one of three students who traveled for the High School Esports League's 2023 Nationals. The team finished second.
Putnam Science Academy's Rocket League Captain and Junior Gavin Lo Basco practicing the game. He was one of three students who traveled for the High School Esports League's 2023 Nationals. The team finished second.

How Putnam Science got to nationals

The program was pitched by Rivera and Aaron Jones, esports coach and computer science teacher, over two years ago, during the pandemic, when new computers were hard to come by. While supply chains have improved, the latest tech gear is always pricy, Sarah Healey, Putnam Science’s Head of School.

“We built it to the best of our ability, and they keep coming,” she said.

Fortunate recruiting, growing from 6 to 11 players, and learning from mistakes contributed to the team’s success. The Mustangs modeled the program closer to college esports, adding physical activity and focusing on skills, Jones said.

Putnam Science Academy Senior Ben Sulikowski with Head of School Sarah Healey, as he committed to playing esports for University of Hawai'i Manoa.
Putnam Science Academy Senior Ben Sulikowski with Head of School Sarah Healey, as he committed to playing esports for University of Hawai'i Manoa.

Playing esports at the collegiate level

This year, the four Putnam Science Esports seniors are committed to play for college teams.

Ben Sulikowski, a California native is headed to the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, to study biotechnology and molecular sciences. The school has a strong legacy in Overwatch play and events, although Sulikowski is an Apex Legends player.

Sulikowski said he is interested in streaming games and making money from them during his college years. He said esports and gaming are just a hobby for him.

“I’ve taken the hobby as far as I can go,” he said.

Peter Chen, who is from China, has committed to play esports for the University of California Davis, and study computer science. Chen plans on making a career out of gaming, be it as an esports player, a game designer, or another job in the industry.

Putnam Science Academy Athletic Director Tom Espinosa with Senior Peter Chen, who signed to University of California Davis to play on their esports team.
Putnam Science Academy Athletic Director Tom Espinosa with Senior Peter Chen, who signed to University of California Davis to play on their esports team.

Noel Reid is headed to Alvernia University and Daniel Tang is headed to Purdue University.

The future of esports at Putnam Science and beyond

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, partnering with PlayVS., started its esports program in 2019 with around 10 schools. Now, the program boasts 48 schools, including Putnam Science Academy.

Most of Connecticut’s high school esports teams are in the center and west of the state, and Putnam Science is one of the few eastern CT schools with an esports team.

In eastern Connecticut, high school video gaming is more club oriented, as opposed to formal esports teams, Rivera said.

High schools looking into esports need patience with the students, and commit all resources they can, Healy said.

“I find with the esports program, they don’t ask for a lot of things, but when they do, they’re big things,” she said.

Game on! What happens when these CT schools take video games seriously?

Sulikowski suggested schools improve marketing and seek sponsorships to fund esports costs and attract players.

“If I saw they had a completely dedicated esports room with decked out gaming chairs and everything, I’d say ‘that’s the school I want to go to’,” he said. “Even if you’re not in the esports realm, you have a good computer lab.”

Getting more girls playing on esports teams is the next challenge in keeping it growing, Cheres Miller-Odukwe, Director of Student Activities for CAS-CIAC said.

“The more we have these opportunities for students, the sky’s the limit,” she said.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Putnam Science Academy esports team second in Rocket League nationals