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OTTAWA COUNTY, MI – When Hudsonville Public Schools teacher Brady VanMalsen started a gaming club in 2018, it was around a dozen students playing video games from the comfort of their homes.

Now, the West Michigan program with a little over 30 students is an official high school team with a newly built esports lab.

The Hudsonville Public Schools, the largest district in Ottawa County, enrolled 6,709 students for the 2024-25 school year. School leaders unveiled the lab this spring with the esports industry continuing to thrive.

RELATED: $2K up for grabs in Grand Rapids spring break teen esports event

Esports has become more prevalent in high school and college settings.

Several Michigan universities, including Ferris State and Grand Valley State, have created their own esports teams. Professional competitions and leagues can offer significant prizes or scholarships for students.

Universities around the country are also offering esports degrees with job prospects growing. In 2022, Ferris approved a degree in professional esports production.

VanMalsen said he believes the addition of the lab will lead to more opportunities for students after graduation, including in a college or professional setting.

“It’s something most high schools don’t have,” he said, “and almost feels like a college-level experience.”

RELATED: New Ferris State e-sports director brings gaming influencer connections

He said a few Hudsonville students have already “been noticed,” and multiple area colleges have reached out to ask about the high school’s program.

It’s also helping to connect more students, VanMalsen said, his initial goal when creating the club.

“I think everyone plays games,” he said, “whether it’s on their phones or playing card games or sports.”

Unveiled in March, the lab has 10 computers, updated tech and custom neon signs featuring the school’s eagle mascot.

The process of getting the new esports lab set up has been several years in the making, part of a process to renovate the school.

VanMalsen said that renovation included connecting the freshman and main campuses with a bridge and adding on several classrooms.

The new lab was previously a math classroom.

VanMalsen said the cost for equipment, including computers, tables, keyboards, mice and headsets, was around $30,000. Another approximately $20,000 was spent on customizing the room, including with lighted signs from an area local business.

“They’re going the extra mile to make it feel professional,” he said.

The new tech should hopefully last the program five to ten years, VanMalsen said, and will provide new opportunities for students who wouldn’t otherwise have access to that type of gaming equipment.

The district’s administrators have been supportive of the program, he said, and of giving students “a way to be involved with something that’s maybe not the most traditional.”

“I feel very grateful that they’re willing to put in such time and effort to make this a thing to reach all students,” he said. “That’s always the goal, reaching every single student and giving them some way to feel involved.”

Before the dedicated esports lab was built, VanMalsen said the team would meet in person at the beginning of the year to share information, and would subsequently correspond via email or by phone to set up meetings.

“I put flyers up all over the school,” he said, also sharing information about the club in morning announcements.

Now, “it’s nice to have a physical space that gives it more of a sense of reality,” he said.

Hudsonville’s regular esports season is about eight weeks long, with around one game per week, but teams and players that do well can continue into the playoffs and all the way to an in-person state final.

This year, the team had around a dozen students continuing to the playoffs, he said.

If you would like more reporting like this delivered free to your inbox, click and signup for our weekly newsletter: Michigan Schools.

image via crunchyroll

The second season of Aharen-san wa Hakarenai, the lighthearted school rom-com, is getting a new addition. Iori Noguchi, a member of the idol group =LOVE, is joining the cast. She will voice a character named Aragaki, who is set to appear in episode nine of the current season

Aragaki is introduced as a former karate rival of Oshiro. The two crossed paths in a competition a year ago, where Oshiro emerged victorious. Aragaki’s return adds a subtle competitive element to the show’s mostly relaxed and comedic tone. For Noguchi, this isn’t her first-time voice acting. She has taken on anime roles such as Eagle in Demon Lord, and Retry! R voiced Rosetta in the Japanese dub of A Herbivorous Dragon of 5,000 Years Gets Unfairly Villainized.

Creative Team Behind Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2

Aharen-san wa Hakarenai is produced by Felix Film. The directorial team is Yasutaka Yamamoto (Nekopara) and Tomoe Makino (Kotaro Lives Alone). The series composition is by Takao Yoshioka of Horimiya. Yuko Yahiro, the designer for Kaguya-sama: Love is War, is the designer for this. The music is produced by Satoru Kosaki and MONACA. Both are known for slice-of-life anime. 

The anime is based on a manga by Asato Mizu, the creator of *DENKI-GAI*. You can watch it on Crunchyroll.

An unexpected friendship with a shy girl

The story is about Reina Aharen, a shy girl who has trouble with personal space. She’s either too close or too far from people. When Raido, her classmate, picks up her eraser, she suddenly decides they’re best friends. What follows is an everyday school life filled with quiet charm and unexpected moments. Together, Aharen and Raido explore friendship in their quirky way.

As new characters like Aragaki join the story, fans can look forward to fresh interactions that add depth and humor to the series.

Written By Manika Kayal, Intern, India Today Gaming.

BELOIT, WIS. (WIFR) – Organizers of the 2025 Eclipse Scholastic Esports Showcase said it’s the first of its kind event in Wisconsin: Teams gathered from across the Midwest to compete in Beloit Saturday.

Esports are becoming one of the fastest growing competitive activities in high schools. Event organizers said Saturday’s event is a milestone in Beloit’s rise as a regional leader in tech, innovation, and the sports gaming industry.

The Esports showcase was powered by Irontek, a coworking community and tech hub, alongside the Milwaukee Esports Alliance, and the Wisconsin High School Esports Association.

The event welcomed teams from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Michigan, all battling it out to win the title of ‘Midwest’s best.”

“Let’s go see what we can do that really hasn’t been done elsewhere around the state of Wisconsin, and so the answer to that was a showcase of this nature which brings in top talent from those Midwestern states to kind of battle against one another,” said Brandon Tschacher, the president of Milwaukee Esports Alliance.

The showcase features state champions from each of the Midwest states. The players battled in what they are say are two fan favorite games: Rocket League and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

“This kind of southern Wisconsin region has been a hot bed actually of scholastic Esports. What it has shown is where investment has been made, results and progress is happening,” explained Tschacher.

The event also welcomed universities so players could meet and interact with schools who can take their gaming to the next level.

Tournament competitor Joseph Watzka said he has been gaming most of his life and has created a rather ‘smashing’ resume in the Esports community.

“I’m the seventh in Wisconsin for PR, I’m the sixth best link in the world,” explained Watzka.

Watzka adds he is excited for the future of Esports, as organizers say it’s one of the fastest growing activities nationwide.

“I’m really excited, I’m really happy for it, I think if a new Smash Brothers comes out it’s going to be really big, and I’m very excited for that, I just hope they don’t butcher my character,” said Watzka.

Organizers say Wisconsin is starting to separate itself nationally as a destination for Esports and giving players the opportunity to grow.

Esports events usually take place in areas like Madison or Milwaukee, but organizers say they hope to have similar events in the Beloit area in the future.

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Several Central Kentucky teams to watch in both competitions