DOWNINGTOWN, PA — The Pennsylvania Scholastic Esports League (PSEL) held its inaugural Esports Expo on June 2, 2025, at the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), bringing together a vibrant community of over 40 educators and coaches, 25 students, and 12 sponsors. The full-day event showcased the dynamic world of scholastic esports through a Rocket League tournament, educational sessions, and networking opportunities.
The Esports Expo provided participants with the chance to explore competitive gaming, connect with industry professionals, and learn strategies for developing successful scholastic esports programs. The highlight of the event was a bracket-style Rocket League tournament, culminating in an exciting final between West Chester Henderson High School and Chichester High School. Henderson’s team emerged victorious, claiming the championship title without dropping a single game.
“The Rocket League matches were full of great highlight plays, and in the end West Chester Henderson walked away as the champions without losing a single game!” said Matt Swan, STEM innovation specialist at CCIU. “We want to congratulate the players from West Chester Henderson on their phenomenal performance and also recognize the players from Chichester High School & 21st Century Cyber Charter School. We look forward to our next chance to showcase the skills of these amazing student competitors!”
The day also featured educational spotlight sessions hosted by sponsors, offering valuable tools and resources to help educators build and support thriving scholastic esports programs. The sessions were tailored to address the needs of schools looking to establish or expand their programs.
Kammas Kersch, director of the PSEL Esports League and STEM services coordinator at CCIU, opened the event with a keynote focused on the fundamentals of setting up esports in schools. She emphasized the importance of creating a collaborative environment for students and educators alike.
“We were thrilled to welcome so many of our scholastic esports colleagues from Pennsylvania and beyond to our first PSEL Esports Expo,” said Kersch. “As an educator-led league, it is important to us to continue to foster learning opportunities for both students and educators. One of the highlights of the day was getting to spend time networking with our PSEL community!”
To close the expo, Karen Ruggles, varsity esports program director at DeSales University, encouraged attendees to consider how gaming and esports can promote both personal and professional growth. Ruggles’ speech inspired participants to continue building a positive and thriving future for esports.
The event was met with widespread praise from attendees, with participants celebrating the high-level competition, engaging sessions, and community-focused atmosphere. Plans are already underway for the next PSEL Esports Expo, as the organization seeks to continue fostering collaboration and growth within the scholastic esports community.
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