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High School Cup

Esports Takes Over Schools in Melbourne boosting 21st Century Skills and Inclusivity!

By High School Cup, News

The push to include Esports in the Olympics and the Victorian government’s promotion of Melbourne as the home of Australian Esports highlight just how popular and recognized the industry is becoming. With this growing recognition, schools and colleges are now exploring the potential of Esports for education and starting to include Esports teams in their sports offerings.

One of the biggest benefits of Esports compared to physical sports is its inclusiveness and accessibility, allowing a wider demographic of students to participate in school sports. This opens up opportunities for students who may not have been able to participate in traditional sports and helps to create a more diverse and inclusive school community.

Not only is Esports inclusive, but it is also viewed as having the potential to develop important 21st century skills such as strategic thinking, collaboration, communication, and peer mentorship. This can help students to develop important life skills that will benefit them well beyond their school years.

The integration of Esports into education may also increase participation in STEM subjects and help to integrate STEM education with workforce sectors. This can help to create a more well-rounded education for students and give them a head start in the workforce.

The growing popularity and recognition of Esports as an industry is exciting for the future of education. Schools and colleges have an opportunity to explore the potential of Esports and start to include it as a sports offering. The inclusiveness and accessibility compared to traditional physical sports is a positive, allowing a wider demographic to participate in school sports. Not only that, but it’s seen as a tool to develop important 21st-century skills such as strategic thinking, collaboration, communication, and peer mentorship.

The following schools in Melbourne are already competing in the AEL High School Cup since 2022 and we welcome more to join in 2023!

  • St Brigid’s College
  • St. Joseph’s Flexible Learning Centre
  • Indie School Mildura
  • Preshil The Margaret Lyttle Memorial School
  • Gleneagles Secondary College
  • De La Salle College
  • John Paul College
  • Geelong Lutheran College
  • Padua College
  • St Josephs College Geelong
  • St Margaret’s and Berwick Grammar School
  • Marist-Sion College
  • Parkdale Secondary College
  • Portland Secondary College
  • Gladstone Park Secondary College
  • Lalor North Secondary College
  • Ouyen P-12 College
  • Melbourne High School

While there are challenges to be aware of, such as the potential impact of digital divides on students’ ability to participate and the inclusive culture of online gaming, the potential benefits cannot be ignored. It’s important to consider equity and well-being issues, but with the right approach, the integration of Esports into education can be done in a way that leverages its full potential for students. The role of academic researchers in developing a balanced perspective on the use of Esports in education is crucial to ensure its success. Let’s embrace this exciting new world of Esports in education and watch as our students develop their skills and thrive in this dynamic and rapidly evolving industry!

The AEL is proudly supported by

Upcoming Events 2023

By Events, High School Cup, News, University Cup

Are you a gaming enthusiast looking for your next fix? Look no further! The AEL is excited to announce our upcoming Esports events for the year. We have a lineup of exciting and engaging events that will cater to gamers of all skill levels and interests. From esports tournaments to conventions, we have something for everyone. So mark your calendars and get ready for a year of non-stop gaming action. Whether you’re a hardcore gamer or just looking for some fun, our events are sure to be a hit. So, come and join us!

To kick off the year the AEL University Cup will be opening up registrations February 1st with tournaments beginning March 16th. The tournament will feature Rocket League and CS:GO in the division 1 league with Rainbow Six Siege, Dota 2 and others TBD in the open series which is played monthly. The AEL Uni Cup will run for several weeks with matches taking place on designated days and times TBD. Season 2 of the AEL Uni Cup will begin taking registrations in July with tournaments beginning in August featuring the same games as Season 1 with more TBD.

Next up we have 2 new and exciting additions, The Acer High School Summer Series powered by Predator and The Acer High School Spring Series powered by Predator! These tournaments will feature some of the most popular gaming titles such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Overwatch 2 and Rocket League with an extra game to be announced soon. The Acer High School Cup powered by Predator will take place in between the Summer and Spring series, starting in Term 2 with registrations closing May 2nd. Qualifying teams will continue the competition in Term 3 with tournaments beginning in August. Registrations for the Summer Series close February 20th with tournaments beginning February 27th while registrations for the Spring Series close September 15th with tournaments beginning October 16th.

In addition, the AEL will be heading to Goulburn Comic Con 18 – 19th March, where we will be hosting a free play gaming zone and the Goulburn Cup with tournaments TBD. This will be followed by the Logan Cup 25 – 26th March which will also feature a free play gaming zone with tournaments TBD.

Finally, the AEL will be heading to Oz Comic Con:

  • Perth 1st – 2nd April
  • Adelaide 3rd – 4th June
  • Melbourne 10th – 11th June
  • Canberra 5th – 6th August
  • Brisbane 16th – 17th September
  • Sydney 23rd – 24th September

The AEL area will feature a free play area and tournament zone with tournaments TBD. As part of the convention, we will also have booths where attendees can check out the latest gaming gear and merchandise, as well as meet our team members and learn more about our company.

We can’t wait for our upcoming events and can’t wait for you to join us. Whether you’re a competitive gamer looking to test your skills or just looking for some fun, we have something for everyone. We want to thank you in advance for your support and look forward to seeing you. Remember to follow us on social media for updates and information. Let’s make this year a memorable one for the community!

The AEL is proudly supported by

AEL secures Australian Government as a partner for Acer High Schools Cup 2022

By High School Cup, News
  • Acer High Schools Cup, Term 1 2022, kicks off this weekend
  • High School participation in the Acer High Schools Cup doubles in 2022
  • Registrations still open for Term 1, closing 4th March

SYDNEY, Australia, 2 March 2022 – Australian Esports League (AEL) is pleased to announce a new partnership between the Acer High Schools Cup and moneymanaged.gov.au, a new online resource that helps young people build their financial capability, launched this week by the Australian Government.

The Acer High Schools Cup is a national program that provides students across Australia a robust and well structured competitive environment for High Schools to compete in Video Games.  As a constructive pursuit that hones cognitive skills, team building, communication and sportspersonship, esports has been recognised as an area of growing interest for the Australian Government.  As such, AEL and the Acer High Schools Cup, which is seeing double year-on-year participation growth, has been identified as an opportune avenue to raise awareness amongst young Australians with the aim of helping them to become more aware and confident with managing their money. 

On adding the Australian Government to the suite of partners in support of the Australian Esports League, Darren Kwan, AEL, said: “By formally welcoming the Australian Government as a partner of the Acer High Schools Cup brings an unmatched level of trust to this esports competition”.

“We look forward to collaboratively activating this partnership in a meaningful way for our High School communities, the teachers and, most importantly, the parents”.

Offering a platform where High School students can pursue their passion for video games and explore the world of Esports, the Acer High Schools Cup provides students a way to pursue their passion for video games and esports. 

“Money Managed is a terrific tool for young Australians to gain confidence in their financial capability. We’re partnering with the Australian Esports League to send a message to young Australians: you should be just as confident picking a bank account as you are picking a main in Overwatch,” said Senator the Hon Jane Hume, Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy.

“If you’re just starting out and wondering how to manage a budget, open a super fund, avoid or manage debt, crypto or anything else to do with your finances, www.moneymanaged.gov.au is the perfect place to go.”

The Acer High Schools Cup is a national program that provides students across Australia with a robust and well-structured competitive programme. It also provides a framework for High Schools to safely participate in the competitive sphere of Esports while sitting comfortably alongside the more traditional sport programmes offered by Australian High Schools.

Rod Bassi, Acer Oceanic Sales Director says Acer is committed to building and supporting a young community of players in Australia.  

“Esports is a really positive learning tool for students to understand the value of teamwork and develop their communication and problem-solving skills. Our partnership with AEL supports our vision of providing the latest technology to the education sector and setting up students for success – whether that’s learning from the classroom or at home or taking their competitive gaming to the next level. 

“It’s been tremendous to see the engagement from the students and schools thus far in the Acer High Schools Cup and we look forward to continuing to empower the next generation of young Esports players through technology during 2022 and beyond.”

AEL established the High Schools League in 2019 and has seen the programme go from strength to strength. In 2021 over 30 Australian High Schools participated in the league, and anticipate over  60 High Schools taking part in 2022.

Tournaments will be conducted during each term of the school year. High Schools may register their students at the start of each term, or in advance. The competition takes place over the internet familiarising students with the benefits of the latest technology and software.

Acer Computers Australia and Australian Esports League partner to give High School esports players of the future a power boost

By High School Cup, News

Acer proudly joins forces with Australian Esports League (AEL) as naming rights partner

Acer High Schools Cup Registrations for Term 4 are now open

SYDNEY, Australia, 6 October 2021 – Australian Esports League (AEL) is pleased to announce that Acer Computers Australia (Acer) has further cemented its commitment to the grass-roots community of young Esports players by becoming naming rights partner for the AEL High Schools League.

Today’s news comes hot on the heels of Australian Esports League (AEL) and Acer Computers Australia’s recent announcement of a strategic partnership that will see the iconic Predator brand support the AEL property portfolio of events.  

The AEL High Schools League, to be known as the Acer High Schools Cup, is a National program that provides students across Australia with a robust and well-structured competitive programme. It also provides a framework for High Schools to safely participate in the competitive sphere of Esports while sitting comfortably alongside the more traditional sport programmes offered by Australian High Schools. 

This partnership affirms the mutual alignment of AEL and Acer business principles to support the young players of the future.  Rod Bassi, Sales Director, Acer Computers Australia commented:  

“Our vision is to provide technology to the education sector that will be ubiquitous to learning efficiently from the classroom and home. We want to be part of the process in which our next generations become the leaders of tomorrow.”

With a focus on inspiring and welcoming gamers into the world of esports, all AEL events for the 2021/2022 season will be powered by the market leading technology found under the hood of the Predator brand range of PC laptops and accessories. This partnership will help expand and grow the current AEL programs as well as adding new elements, such as coaching & training tips, career guidance in esports and live webinars and talks from well-known and reputable esports athletes or personalities.

Bassi continued: “We are very proud to be the Official PC Sponsor of the Australian Esports League. We look forward to bringing Esports as a valuable tool of learning and teamwork to all schools in Australia”.

As an additional layer of value for participating High School gamers, Acer will also be offering Esports starter kits for schools and students.  These kits include all the necessary information and required technology to facilitate an easy entrance into the world of esports.

AEL established the High Schools League in 2019 and has seen the programme go from strength to strength. So far, in 2021 28 Australian High Schools have participated in the league, with Term 4 set to kick-off on Saturday, 30th October 2021. 

Offering a platform where High School students are able to pursue their passion for video games and explore the world of Esports is of critical importance to AEL CEO, Darren Kwan:

“I’m thrilled to be welcoming Acer to the AEL roster of partners as I firmly believe that the partnership will allow us to unite and create incredible experiences for our young Esports community” said Kwan.

Kwan continued: “The AEL mantra has always been ‘community first’ and I task myself, and my team, to ensure that this is the focal point of any new programme we develop.  It is also a core belief attribute that we look for in a brand partner, which is something that we have found in abundance with Acer.  I’m very much looking forward to collaboratively working with Acer to achieve our mutual goals and support our community in the best possible way”

The AEL partnership with Acer has already commenced and Term 4 of the Acer High Schools Cup will start on Saturday, 30th October 2021.  For High Schools who wish to register their involvement, please visit:  www.ael.org.au/hs

For a full rundown of the 2021/2022 AEL community event and league schedule, please visit:  https://ael.org.au/

For the full range of Predator PC gaming laptops and accessories, please visit:  https://www.harveynorman.com.au/catalogsearch/result/?q=acer+gaming

About Acer Computers

Founded in 1976, Acer is one of the world’s top ICT companies with a presence in more than 160 countries. As Acer evolves with the industry and changing lifestyles, it is focused on enabling a world where hardware, software and services will fuse with one another, creating ecosystems and opening up new possibilities for consumers and businesses alike. Acer’s 7,500 employees are dedicated to the research, design, marketing, sale, and support of products and solutions that break barriers between people and technology. Please visit www.acer.com for more information. 

About Australian Esports League

Established in 2013, the Australian Esports League (AEL) brand is wholly owned and operated by Critical Hit Entertainment Pty Ltd., a media and entertainment company focused on video game and esports events in Australia.  

AEL is one of Australia’s leading esports promoters covering multiple facets of the esports ecosystem including Universities, High Schools, Local Clubs and councils, plus a range of large scale esports events. AEL has brought the best of the interactive entertainment industry together with over 30 years combined experience in the Australian esports category. The AEL mission is to deliver world class events that positively contributes to a healthy esports ecosystem improving the experience for players and key stakeholders.

ViewSonic supports High School esports with Australian Esports League partnership

By High School Cup

The Australian Esports League (AEL) has teamed up with industry leading interactive display manufacturer ViewSonic, to launch the 2021 AEL High Schools League. As part of this partnership, participating schools will have the chance to win a state of the art ViewSonic ViewBoard for their school. 

Australian High Schools are invited to join the AEL High Schools League and compete in a multi-week national online gaming tournament held each term of the 2021 school year. Each team will be representing their school across a range of popular games.

This partnership with ViewSonic will see the winning school each quarter awarded a ViewSonic 75-inch interactive display ViewBoard valued at $5,600. The prize also comes with full training, product installation and ongoing support.

“The AEL is excited about the 2021 High Schools League and the partnership with ViewSonic is a fantastic way to offer the winning schools the amazing piece of technology”, says Darren Kwan, CEO of AEL. “We would like to wish every student participating the best of luck and would like to thank ViewSonic for their ongoing support”.

Jack Hung, Country Manager of ViewSonic adds, “ViewSonic are delighted to partner with the AEL. We are passionate about providing innovative visual solutions for work, learning and play and the High School League is a terrific initiative.”

About AEL:

The Australian Esports League (AEL) is the leading national provider of structured esports competitions in both the High School and University space. Founded in 2013 the AEL promotes healthy participation in esports, inclusiveness and a safe environment for gamers of all skill levels to play in competitions run online or at live events. In 2021 the AEL will be hosting events in partnership with over ten different councils to support regional and metro esports communities, at six Supanova Comic Con & Gaming events, and more!

Learn more about the AEL at https://ael.org.au

About ViewSonic:

ViewSonic has been an audio-visual leader worldwide for more than three decades. We firmly believe that we can partner with educators to achieve sustainable success and better learning outcomes. We are dedicated to shaping the future of the educational landscape by solving real problems. Through innovation, great products, and people orientated services, we promise to find the answers together.

Enhance the entire learning experience with ViewSonic: Collaborate without limitations, integrate technology seamlessly and elevate learning outcomes.

Learn more about ViewSonic at https://www.viewsonic.com/au/

Australian Esports High School League kicks off for 2021

By High School Cup

Registrations for Term 1 of the 2021 Australian Esports High School League (AEHSL) are now OPEN!

The AEL are proud to launch the 2021 High School program for Term 1 where students can represent their school and compete in a 3 v 3 online Rocket League tournament!

There is no limit to the number of teams a School can submit. With competition open to schools nationally.

Participants can level up their School. AEL has partnered with ViewSonic to host the AEHSL with students representing their schools each term to win a ViewSonic ViewBoard, for their school, valued at $5,600 RRP.

The Australian Esports League runs national gaming tournaments across multiple genres each year and is proud to announce that it opens its door once again to high school students around Australia.  

Rocket League 3 v 3 was the chosen game title to kick off the league for 2021. Each term the league will feature 5 weeks full of action-packed matches amongst aspiring high school students. 

The commitment of AEL and ViewSonic is to provide students to compete online in a safe, supportive and structured environment. 

The AEHSL Term 1 Schedule as follows: 

  • Week 1 – Thursday 25th February @ 4:30PM AEDT 
  • Week 2 – Thursday 4nd March @ 4:30PM AEDT 
  • Week 3 – Thursday 11th March @ 4:30PM AEDT 
  • Week 4 – Thursday 18th March @ 4:30PM AEDT 
  • Week 5 – Thursday 25th March @ 4:30PM AEDT 
  • Finals – Saturday/Sunday 27-28th March @ 10:00AM AEDT 

To register and find out more, visit the AEL High School Website. 

  1. Students must be aged 13 years or older
  2. Students must be enrolled at an Australian Secondary School
  3. All members of a team must be from the same institution
  4. Teams must be registered by a faculty member of the School

The competition will be broadcast live on Facebook to provide schools, families and friends the opportunity to spectate the students as they represent their school. 

Why esports is beneficial in high school?

Esports is the sport of playing video games. Students participating in organised esports experience similar benefits to any other sport! Esports involves team work, sportspersonship, communication and strategy.

Players who participate in esports programs are found to have a higher interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and develop valuable life skills such as…

  • Improved hand-eye coordination
  • Improved attention & visual acuity
  • Problem solving & strategy skill development
  • Boosts self-confidence and player socialisation

Esports promotes participation

As more students take an active interest in Video Gaming esports provides an structured activity centered around a hobby they love. Esports encourages participation in a social team environment where students can make new friends, develop their skills and experience the benefits of sport.

The AEL encourages parents and teachers to incorporate learnings about physical exercise, nutrition and balancing study for participating students as they compete. 

For more information check out AEL on FacebookTwitterInstagram and visit the official website to stay up to date on the latest news about AEHSL.