In a rapidly digitalizing world, forms of entertainment are evolving as more people connect online, many over video games. Esports, or competitive gaming, offers opportunities to connect, compete, and earn cash prizes. At Kalani, there have been attempts to create an esports club.
Professional esports is usually played in teams of well-trained individuals. Some of the highest-grossing competitive games are Fortnite, Valorant, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike, according to Esports Charts’ 2025 survey. At the high school level, esports clubs at multiple schools across Oahu, such as Roosevelt High, Punahou School, and Mililani High, provide gamers with a space to connect; teams play and compete in state and sometimes nationwide tournaments.
Sky Kauweloa, the director of the University of Hawaii’s esports program, says esports is a “form of community building” and believes students would benefit from an esports program.
“I think a school should encourage esports,” he explains. “Games are just deeply engaging as a medium and also as an entertainment form.”
Azriel Togle-Wilson (12) believes that an esports club would be good for Kalani. An avid gamer, he plays story-driven linear games such as Hollow Knight (including Hollow Knight: Silksong), Celeste, Undertale, and Deltarune. However, Togle-Wilson isn’t that interested in the competitive shooting games that dominate the esports scene.
Kauweloa believes that games are becoming an important part of our society, and offering esports might get some kids to show up.
“That’s one way you can keep students in school or one way that you can have them come back because then they will be able to engage with the technologies of a program that is well developed, structured, focused, and a center for the community overall,” he says.
Kalani has a strong community of gamers, with students like Seth Roach (9), Micah Blumenshein (9), and Milan Scott (9) all playing video games. These three play a wide range of games: Scott plays mobile games like Clash Royale, Roach plays story-driven games like God of War, and Blumenshein plays fast-paced competitive games like Call of Duty and Rainbow Six Siege.
Scott believes students would join an esports club and sees many benefits to playing competitive, fast-paced games. Although Scott does not plan on joining herself, she still believes that gaming helps with fine motor skills.
“I think that it’s cool,” Scott says. “I think it can help you gain skills like typing, accuracy, focus, multitasking… just stuff like that.”
Aiden Nakamura (11) is trying to create an esports club at Kalani. He wants to create a space where students with a shared interest in video games can connect. On a competitive level, he wants students to build teamwork skills.
“Many would enjoy playing competitively if given the chance,” Nakamura reasons.
Hawaii offers many ways to enter competitions, and it has held competitions at Hawaii Pacific University’s gaming arena. High schools like ‘Iolani, Roosevelt, and Aiea all compete. Even though Kalani doesn’t currently have an official esports team, we already have a record of wins from an unofficial team that placed first at ‘Iolani’s League of Legends summer 2025 invitational, which can be viewed on ‘Iolani’s Twitch page.
Kauweloa believes that esports builds community through a “holistic” educational experience, stating that he grew up with leisure activities such as skateboarding, surfing, and, of course, video games. He compares esports to those more traditional activities commonly enjoyed in Hawaii.
“In Hawaii, you know, surfing is such a huge part of the culture here, but not everybody surfs, and not everybody goes to the beach,” he explains.
He believes that video games should be enjoyed as any other sport.
“[Esports] creates a sense of belonging with friends outside of the context of traditional activities that’s usually associated with sports,” Kauweloa says.
