Burnley Esports Students Celebrate Valorant Victory on National Stage

A group of exceptional Burnley College Students have come away as victors at the Valorant Grand Finals at the British Esports Association Student Championships.

It’s the result of months of hard work which saw them defeat some of the biggest names in student Esports.

The five ventured to Nottingham to compete at one of the most high-tech Esports venues in the UK – Confetti X.

The victorious team are:

• Daniel Wallis, 18, from Whitworth a former pupil of Whitworth High School
• Tobias Kershaw, 19, from Colne, formerly of Unity College
• Nadil Abdul, 19, from Accrington, a former pupil of The Hollins
• Harley Garner, 18, from Barnoldswick, formerly of West Craven High School
• Kuba Kowalski, 19, from Nelson, formerly of Ss John Fisher and Thomas More High School

Qualification heats began months ago, with the Burnley FC Bees, Burnley College’s official Esports team affiliated to Burnley FC, competing in weekly showdowns at the British Championships.

Topping their league, they progressed to the Northern Regional championships which secured their place in the National Finals.

After a fierce battle, they defeated reigning national champions Conel Cyphers VAL, securing victory.

Valorant is a “first person hero-shooter” game where characters have distinct abilities and skills, allowing high levels of tactical play.

Jason Frost, Curriculum Manager for Creative Arts & Media, says he’s so proud:

“I am immensely proud of our dedicated students who have demonstrated exceptional skill, teamwork and resilience throughout the competition.

“Their commitment, hard work and ‘never say never’ attitude saw them battle their way to victory in a match that went all the way to the wire.”

The students also had an incredible opportunity to attend a bootcamp at the National Esports Performance Campus in Sunderland ahead of the main event.

The remarkable Valorant team were coached by industry professionals and took advantage of Burnley College’s state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.

Burnley College has been pioneering Esports as a qualification for school leavers over the last four years. It combines a wide range of skills from marketing and event management to social media and even nutrition.

Esports is one of the fastest-growing entertainment industries in the world, generating billions of pounds in revenue each year. International events can attract audiences of tens of millions online and create superstars of the best players.

Do you have what it takes to lead an Esport team to success? Are you a red-hot Valorant player who wants a career in this growing industry? Become the next superstar of Esports by joining the Number One College in England* this September:

*in the Government’s National Achievement Rate tables for learners aged 16 to 18 since 2018.