WATERLOO — East High School teacher Corey Kennis’ classroom is jam-packed with students zoned in on computer screens every Tuesday and Thursday.
Kennis is the school’s esports director.
Starting as a game club playing Yu-Gi-Oh!, a trading card game, the group has exploded with 100 students playing a variety of games every athletic season. Although based at East, the team also includes students from West and Expo high schools as well as from Waterloo Christian and Waverly-Shell Rock high schools.
The Trojans recently won the Iowa High School Esports Association state 2A championship in Rainbow 6 Siege – a tactical shooter game that requires players to work together to rescue hostages, defuse a bomb or complete other objectives. They went undefeated, winning seven games during the season and all three at the state championship.
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Each game has different classes based on the number of teams registered, similar to the state’s athletic association. For example, Rainbow 6 Siege’s largest group is 2A, while Super Smash Bros Ultimate goes up to 3A…