Where Everyone Belongs: Esports at MHS

Walk into the Esports Arena at Manasquan High School during any lunch period, and you will likely find students in conversations about gaming strategy, laughing with teammates, and working together toward a shared goal. For many students, this space has become a judgment-free place where everyone belongs. The environment is intentionally welcoming, offering a space where students can practice games and connect with peers who share their interests.

Through competitive gaming, students on the Manasquan High School Esports team are building friendships and developing leadership skills. The program has become a model for inclusion, demonstrating how shared interests can bridge differences and foster genuine connections.

Inclusive Gaming

Esports offers a unique platform for inclusion because it removes many of the physical barriers often present in traditional athletics.

“Because the league offers such a wide range of games and experiences, there truly is something that sparks interest for every student,” explains Esports Team Faculty Advisor Amy Edwards. “That variety makes it easier for students of all abilities and backgrounds to find a place where they feel comfortable participating.”

Esports competitions take place online, with students logging into a shared server to compete in live matches against teams from other schools. Each player assumes a role within the game, working together in real time. They also compete across all three seasons of the Garden State Esports schedule. Each week, students meet in the school’s Esports Arena to complete asynchronous time trials in the league’s featured game, with their results logged on a statewide leaderboard that tracks progress throughout the season. The competition builds toward the GSE State Championships, where teams from across New Jersey gather to compete in person. Manasquan students have consistently performed at a high level, making their mark among the state’s top competitors.

The Esports program also participates in the Unified League of Garden State Esports (GSE), which brings together neurotypical students and students with special needs to compete and collaborate as teammates. The program intentionally has shared gameplay, since gaming provides a natural environment for interaction, encouragement, and support.

During one of the weekly Peer Leadership classes, the Unified students come to the Esports Arena to compete in their weekly time trials. This period provides natural opportunities for students to interact with their peers in a supportive environment, where strategy discussions and friendly competition quickly shift from winning to a sense of belonging. The program has earned high praise from Dr. Kukoda, MHS principal.

“Manasquan High School’s Esports team has done an outstanding job using their shared interest in gaming to build meaningful connections with our Unified students,” Kukoda says. “Their willingness to volunteer their time and create an inclusive environment speaks to the character of our students and the strong sense of community we value at Manasquan.”

Building Confidence

For many participants, Esports is a way to belong.

“High school can be a scary, intimidating place,” Edwards reflects. “For some students, the Esports team is the first organized team activity they’ve ever been part of. When they realize they belong to a team and their contributions matter, you can really see their confidence grow.”

Edwards and her students cultivate an inclusive culture by welcoming everyone. “We know their names, we ask about their interests, and we help them make connections with other students who share those interests,” she says.

Junior Matthew Kutcher says, “When you walk into the Esports Arena, everyone is there because they love the same thing. It’s a place where we feel comfortable being ourselves.”

More Than a Game

The Esports program provides students with valuable life skills that extend far beyond gaming. Students develop leadership abilities as team captains, mentors, and event organizers. Others explore behind-the-scenes roles such as shoutcasting, production, and tournament coordination, all experiences that mirror careers in broadcasting and digital media.

“Esports has reinforced the idea that learning can happen anywhere,” Edwards says. “When educators meet students where their interests are, incredible growth can happen.”

For some students, these experiences have even opened doors to college scholarships and internships, showing that their passion for gaming can translate into meaningful opportunities.

Perhaps the most powerful impact of the Esports program is the sense of belonging it creates. Edwards recalls one moment that perfectly captured the program’s influence. During a Community Gaming Night, an eighth-grade student who had come to visit the high school left the event with a newfound sense of excitement about the future.

“He turned to his family and said, ‘I found my people,’” Edwards says.

Moments like these illustrate why Esports has become such an important part of the MHS community.

In a world where students often struggle to find their place, the Esports Arena offers a space where everyone is welcome. The program demonstrates that the strongest teams are built not just on skill, but on connection.

In many ways, this connection reflects the heart of the Esports program itself, where every student has the opportunity to participate, contribute, and be part of the team.

Photographs courtesy of Amy Edwards; tournament photograph courtesy of Chris Aviles