Lane Tech’s Valorant players filled room 337 after school, getting into rows of computers where the clicking of keyboards crowds the classroom. The Valorant program has emerged as one of the school’s highly successful teams. The team has IHSEA (Illinois High School Esports Association) and IHSA (Illinois High School Association) state titles, a National PlayVS title and was featured in Esports publications, according to Paddy Davey, Lane Tech Esports coach and chemistry teacher.
One of the team’s notable accomplishments came last year with a national championship win. “We had been working almost the whole year,” said senior Aurellio Smithivis. According to Davey, the team’s success has drawn attention from colleges, leading to many scholarship offers to players.
Beyond individual skill, the Esports team provides a sense of community for its members based on a shared interest in gaming. While toxic behavior and bad sportsmanship have recently become an issue in some schools within high school Esports, Davey said Lane Tech’s team is known for its conduct. This was shown at an IHSEA conference that the team attended, coaches from other schools noted that Lane Tech has demonstrated a positive attitude and have been role models in the Esports community, according to Davey. “Other Illinois High School coaches agreed about how they enjoyed playing with us, even if we trounced their team every time,” Davey said.
A typical day of practice for the Valorant team starts with meeting in Room 337 and playing against one another on the computers. But during match days they play from home, on their own setups, according to senior Oliver Suastegui. The team has an IGL, meaning an In Game Leader. “My role [as IGL] is calling the strategies for what our team wants to do while we’re in the game, making sure everyone’s on the same page” Smithivis said. He also said that the role requires fast decision making and the ability to adjust strategies mid match.
Practices have paid off and some team members have earned high national rankings within the game Davey said. Besides fostering talent, Coach Davey sees the value in building teamwork. “Skill without synergy won’t lead you to a first place finish. My goal as coach is to foster their development as a group rather than a series of talented individuals” Davey said.
Currently, Lane Tech has three active Valorant teams, two in the IHSEA State Division and one in the PlayVS Central Division. One of the IHSEA teams is undefeated in the regular season and is a strong contender for playoffs. The PlayVS team just started but is also currently undefeated. The team is on track to win just like last year and Coach Davey said, “Check back in a couple months and I’ll show you the trophies.” He noted that the team’s performance this season mirrors the moment they built during last year’s championship.
