Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) made a groundbreaking decision to sanction e-sports as an official sport in Utah high schools on April 1, 2024. This decision was unanimously approved by the UHSAA board of trustees and was celebrated as a significant milestone in providing increased opportunities for student engagement.
E-sports, or competitive multiplayer video gaming, have been growing in popularity among young people with the rise of the internet and streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Popular titles like NBA 2K, FIFA, and Overwatch have captivated audiences worldwide and led to the professionalization of e-sports with numerous tournaments taking place globally.
Starting from the 2025-26 school year, e-sports will be a sanctioned sport in Utah high schools, with the season scheduled to run from January through April. While specific details about which games will be offered to students and participation numbers were not disclosed in the UHSAA’s announcement, several schools are already involved in e-sports clubs.
One such school is Ken Garff E-sports, which includes 42 high schools in its network, including schools like Alta, Bingham, Taylorsville, Roy, and Hurricane. According to Rob Cuff, the executive director of UHSAA, e-sports provides a unique avenue for student engagement, competition, teamwork, strategic thinking
