Esports + Online School = Real Friendships 

Traditional schools have traditional sports, such as football, soccer, and basketball. Digital schools have sports leagues, too – they just happen to be primarily digital. For Indiana Gateway Digital Academy (INGDA), its esports league brings together students to train and play in Chess, Tetris, Fortnite, Marvel Rivals, Rocket League, and Mario Kart. 

But INGDA students don’t just play esports. They compete. 

On Saturday, April 25, students from across the state met in Noblesville, Indiana, for the Indiana Esports Network (IEN) Spring Finals competition. Middle and high school esports leagues competed to see who would be crowned as the 28 state champions and runners up. 

Rising Popularity 

Esports is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by increased viewership and the rising popularity of competitive gaming among diverse demographics. In fact, the number of esports players worldwide is expected to reach nearly 925 million by 2030. 

More than 60 INGDA students participate in the esports league, coming together outside of school hours to build camaraderie and friendships between peers who learn from home. Because they learn and play digitally across the state, most teammates don’t get a chance to meet in person. 

Enter: the Indiana Esports Network Spring Finals. 

Rising Through the Competition Side-by-Side 

The IEN Spring Finals brought the INGDA Rocket League team together in person for the first time. 

In an interview with the Hamilton County Reporter, INGDA recent graduate Landon shared that he was finally in the same physical space as his teammates, including one he’s been playing on the team with for three years: “It was pretty fun that I got to meet up with him finally because of how far away he usually is and how far I am. It’s really nice and a good opportunity that I was able to finally meet up with him and talk to him.” 

While they may have met for the first time, they were no strangers to competing together. INGDA’s Rocket League team progressed through the competition and was crowned State Runner-Up! 

Digital School Doesn’t Mean Isolation! 

Some families can be concerned that a digital school won’t have the same kinds of sports, clubs, and other activities that traditional schools have. They may be held virtually, but INGDA has dozens of clubs and activities students can join based on their interests. In addition to esports, students can join book clubs, bible studies, art clubs, LEGO clubs, and more. 

Enrollment for our 2026–2027 school year is open! Learn how to apply. 

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