Strong national network enables Arizona Coyotes to offer significant learning opportunities related to esports while expanding tournament play through the North America Scholastic Esports Federation 

(Glendale, AZ – March 30, 2021) – Esports are booming, and students in Arizona are excited to not just play the games, but to pursue related careers. To support this thirst for competition and education, the Arizona Coyotes have just become an affiliate of the North America Scholastic Esports Federation. NASEF will provide free tournaments, programs, curriculum, and expertise to help scholastic esports grow and thrive in the state of Arizona. 

NASEF leverages massive student interest in team-based competitive video gaming, offering meaningful career and STEM education alongside tournaments. Students learn about possible career pathways, enter Beyond the Game™ creative and analytic challenges, manage clubs and events and fundraising, and compete in tournaments in popular titles including but not limited to: Overwatch, Madden, Rocket League, Valorant, NHL 21 and Minecraft to name a few. 

“The Arizona Coyotes are excited to partner with the North America Scholastic Esports Federation to engage with the rapidly expanding esports community,” said Coyotes Strategic Advisor Alex Meruelo, Jr. “The Coyotes will proudly dedicate resources through our school program to help develop esports opportunities and promote the growth of gaming and education in the state of Arizona. We look forward to collaborating with NASEF on this great initiative.”

The Arizona Coyotes vision is to create and foster competitive esports programs through the lens of academics and learning in Arizona middle schools and high schools by providing assistance, organizing tournaments, and presenting information to schools and advisers. NASEF offers a unique focus on diversity with an emphasis on cultivating talents in potentially underserved populations and provide a pathway to college scholarships and careers in the gaming industry.  

“Research demonstrates the effectiveness of esports as a tool for meaningful STEM and social-emotional learning,” said Gerald Solomon, founder and executive director of NASEF. “We’re thrilled to have the Arizona Coyotes in the NASEF family, where educators will be able to learn best practices from other community networks with experience implementing scholastic esports programs. Of course, the students will be thrilled to take part in huge tournaments in popular games. We’re excited to support the Arizona Coyotes and see the growth across Arizona in the coming years.” 

Learn more at the NASEF website or the Arizona Coyotes website. Schools across Arizona are invited to join the Coyotes and NASEF and tap into their events and resources; contact Zack Savage, [email protected]. 

About NASEF

The North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) is on a mission to provide opportunities for all students to use esports as a platform to acquire STEM/STEAM-based skills and critical communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills needed to thrive in work and in life. NASEF operates under the umbrella of the World Wide Scholastic Esports Foundation (WWSEF). Find NASEF at NASEF.org and on Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

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Media Contacts:
Claire LaBeaux
[email protected]
925-337-0244

Arizona Coyotes Affiliate Program
[email protected]