Michigan high school transforms classroom to esports lab. Coach says colleges will notice

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.

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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.”

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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.

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