Torchbearers by College Esports News

In this episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" sits down with Chris Aviles, the Founder of Garden State Esports to talk about the evolution of the high school scene, growing the Garden State through scholastic esports, and more.⁠Follow Chris: https://x.com/TechedUpTeacherFollow Garden State Esports: https://x.com/gsesportsorgGarden State Esports Website: https://gsesports.org/Support College Esports News & level up your closet - use code 'CEN' for 5% off your order: https://collegeesportsnews.org/merch--College Esports News is THE place for aspiring esports creatives to build their portfolio and get hands-on experience creating content. With CEN, students can collaborate with a highly skilled team, get public credit for their work, and build skills & their portfolio. To learn more about volunteering with CEN, visit this link: https://forms.gle/isYuLSWwHDUNpJxG9CEN needs your support 💖 We are crowdfunding $1,500 to cover operational costs such as the cost of our website, paid opportunities, and travel. Every dollar, share, or kind word means the world to us.Contribute today: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/collegeenewsThis episode would not be possible without:🎙️ ⁠Kenneth / Kbot⁠: https://x.com/Kbot_273🎞️ ⁠Vi Tran⁠: https://x.com/SavVi_Tran📋 ⁠Derek Santiago⁠: https://x.com/CenturyVisuals, ⁠Tom Screech: ⁠https://x.com/kyberts_, ⁠Sheridan Shay: https://x.com/cutiepebbsFollow us on social media:Twitter: https://x.com/CollegeENewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/collegeenewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@collegeenews

In this episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" sits down with Cole Prescott, Associate Director of the National Association of Esports Coaches and Directors (NAECAD), to discuss the importance of coaching, navigating situations like benching players, and more. ⁠Follow Cole on Twitter⁠: https://x.com/ColePrescott_Support College Esports News & level up your closet - use code 'CEN' for 5% off your order: https://collegeesportsnews.org/merchCollege Esports News is THE place for aspiring esports creatives to build their portfolio and get hands-on experience creating content. With CEN, students can collaborate with a highly skilled team, get public credit for their work, and build skills & their portfolio. To learn more about volunteering with CEN, visit this link: https://forms.gle/isYuLSWwHDUNpJxG9CEN needs your support 💖 We are crowdfunding $1,500 to cover operational costs such as the cost of our website, paid opportunities, and travel. Every dollar, share, or kind word means the world to us.Contribute today: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/collegeenewsThis episode would not be possible without:🎙️ ⁠Kenneth / Kbot⁠: https://x.com/Kbot_273🎞️ ⁠Vi Tran⁠: https://x.com/SavVi_Tran📋 ⁠Derek Santiago⁠: https://x.com/CenturyVisuals, ⁠Tom Screech: ⁠https://x.com/kyberts_, ⁠Sheridan Shay: https://x.com/cutiepebbsFollow us on social media:Twitter: https://x.com/CollegeENewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/collegeenewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@collegeenews

In this episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" sits down with Luis Gomez, former club president and social media manager at Esports at UCF, to discuss his path into the professional esports industry at Gameplan Media. Luis shares his journey from helping to found the official club to getting his first social media gig to going full-time in the esports industry.⁠Follow Luis on Twitter⁠: https://x.com/BolbiRLSupport College Esports News & level up your closet - use code 'CEN' for 5% off your order: https://collegeesportsnews.org/merchCollege Esports News is THE place for aspiring esports creatives to build their portfolio and get hands-on experience creating content. With CEN, students can collaborate with a highly skilled team, get public credit for their work, and build skills & their portfolio. To learn more about volunteering with CEN, visit this link: https://forms.gle/isYuLSWwHDUNpJxG9CEN needs your support 💖 We are crowdfunding $1,500 to cover operational costs such as the cost of our website, paid opportunities, and travel. Every dollar, share, or kind word means the world to us.Contribute today: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/collegeenewsThis episode would not be possible without:🎙️ ⁠Kenneth / Kbot⁠: https://x.com/Kbot_273🎞️ ⁠Vi Tran⁠: https://x.com/SavVi_Tran📋 ⁠Derek Santiago⁠: https://x.com/CenturyVisuals, ⁠Tom Screech: ⁠https://x.com/kyberts_, ⁠Sheridan Shay: https://x.com/cutiepebbsFollow us on social media:Twitter: https://x.com/CollegeENewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/collegeenewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@collegeenews

In this episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" sits down with Ashley Jones, Game Business & Esports at Full Sail University. Ashley shares her origin story from hand-me-down consoles to League of Legends and how she made the decision to teach. ⁠Follow Ashley on Twitter⁠: https://x.com/AshleyOfTheYearSupport College Esports News & level up your closet - use code 'CEN' for 5% off your order: https://collegeesportsnews.org/merchCEN needs your support 💖 We are crowdfunding $1,500 to cover operational costs such as the cost of our website, paid opportunities, and travel. Every dollar, share, or kind word means the world to us.Contribute today: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/collegeenewsThis episode would not be possible without:🎙️ ⁠Kenneth / Kbot⁠: https://x.com/Kbot_273🎞️ ⁠Vi Tran⁠: https://x.com/SavVi_Tran📋 ⁠Derek Santiago⁠: https://x.com/CenturyVisuals, ⁠Tom Screech: ⁠https://x.com/kyberts_, ⁠Sheridan Shay: https://x.com/cutiepebbsFollow us on social media:Twitter: https://x.com/CollegeENewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/collegeenewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@collegeenews

In this episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" speaks with Jack, club president of SLU Esports. Jack reflects on the May 2024 closure of the SLU Esports program, the shocking announcement, and how the club is rebuilding moving forward.⁠Follow Kurt on Twitter⁠: https://x.com/rojoloco04_Support College Esports News & level up your closet - use code 'CEN' for 5% off your order: https://collegeesportsnews.org/merchCEN needs your support 💖 We are crowdfunding $1,500 to cover operational costs such as the cost of our website, paid opportunities, and travel. Every dollar, share, or kind word means the world to us.Contribute today: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/collegeenewsThis episode would not be possible without:🎙️ ⁠Kenneth / Kbot⁠: https://x.com/Kbot_273🎞️ ⁠Vi Tran⁠: https://x.com/SavVi_Tran📋 ⁠Derek Santiago⁠: https://x.com/CenturyVisuals, ⁠Tom Screech: ⁠https://x.com/kyberts_, ⁠Sheridan Shay: https://x.com/cutiepebbsFollow us on social media:Twitter: https://x.com/CollegeENewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/collegeenewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@collegeenews

In this episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" speaks with Kurt Melcher, the founder of the FIRST collegiate esports program - RMU Esports. Kurt reflects on building the RMU program without a guidebook and discusses how the industry has changed 10 years after the first program's founding.Follow Kurt on TwitterWatch Kurt's Tedx TalkThis episode would not be possible without:🎙️ Kenneth / Kbot🎞️ Vi Tran📋 Derek Santiago, Tom Screech, Sheridan Shay

Use code CEN for 10% off your order at NEUROPTIMA.gg Playfly just announced their free Spring 2025 merch drop. For more details, visit playflycollege.gg. In this episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" speaks with Chris Postell, Executive Director of Esports Foundry, about the upcoming Scholastic Esports Awards. The Scholastic Esports Awards is an award show highlighting the extraordinary individuals who strive to make scholastic esports better through innovation, dedication, and creativity. The inaugural show will be hosted on January 11-12 at the Ohio State University. Follow Chris: https://x.com/WBBChris Follow the Scholastic Esports Awards: https://x.com/ScholasticEA Website: ⁠https://scholasticesportsawards.com/tickets.html Follow Kenneth: https://x.com/Kbot_273 This episode would not be possible without: Kenneth "Kbot": https://x.com/Kbot_273 Jared "Heat": https://x.com/HeatVW Vi: https://x.com/SavVi_Tran Sheridan: https://x.com/cutiepebbs Century: https://x.com/centuryvisuals Ashton: https://x.com/ashtron4ut

Use code CEN for 10% off your order at NEUROPTIMA.gg Playfly just announced their free Spring 2025 merch drop. For more details, visit playflycollege.gg. In this episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" speaks with Dr. Seth Jenny, Senior Editor of the Routledge Handbook of Esports. Follow Dr. Seth Jenny: https://x.com/DrSethJenny Website: https://www.sethjenny.com/ Routledge Handbook of Esports website: https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Handbook-of-Esports/Jenny/p/book/9781032531502 Follow Kenneth: https://x.com/Kbot_273 This episode would not be possible without: Kenneth "Kbot": https://x.com/Kbot_273 Jared "Heat": https://x.com/HeatVW Vi: https://x.com/SavVi_Tran Sheridan: https://x.com/cutiepebbs Century: https://x.com/centuryvisuals Ashton: https://x.com/ashtron4ut

Playfly just announced their free Spring 2025 merch drop. For more details, visit playflycollege.gg. Use code CEN for 10% off your order at NEUROPTIMA.gg In this episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" speaks with Dr. John Price from The Ohio State University on conference chaos, the Big Esports Conference, and more. Follow Dr. John Price: https://x.com/John_price42 Follow Kenneth: https://x.com/Kbot_273 This episode would not be possible without: Kenneth "Kbot": https://x.com/Kbot_273 Jared "Heat": https://x.com/HeatVW Vi: https://x.com/SavVi_Tran Sheridan: https://x.com/cutiepebbs Century: https://x.com/centuryvisuals Ashton: https://x.com/ashtron4ut

Use code CEN for 10% off your order at NEUROPTIMA.gg Playfly College Esports just released their Spring 2025 Roadmap to Registration, which details several major changes coming to their competitions next year! Visit https://playflycollege.gg for more information. In this episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" speaks with Josh "CoachThumper" from Oklahoma University, and co-author of the VOICE Collegiate Esports Eligibility White Paper. Download the VOICE whitepaper: https://www.voicecollegiate.org/resources Follow VOICE: https://x.com/voicecollegiate Follow Coach Thumper: https://x.com/CoachThump Follow Kenneth: https://x.com/Kbot_273 This episode would not be possible without: Kenneth "Kbot": https://x.com/Kbot_273 Jared "Heat": https://x.com/HeatVW Vi: https://x.com/SavVi_Tran Sheridan: https://x.com/cutiepebbs Century: https://x.com/centuryvisuals Ashton: https://x.com/ashtron4ut

Use code CEN for 10% off your order at NEUROPTIMA.gg Watch your favorite games streamed live on twitch.tv/playflygg and email [email protected] to elevate your collegiate esports experience! In this episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" speaks with Parker "Lyte" Lewis, Overwatch 2 Coach of Redbird Esports, 4x Overwatch Champions in Spring 2024. They discuss player burnout and defending their titles.

Thank you to Playfly College Esports for sponsoring this episode of Torchbearers. Watch your favorite games streamed live on their Twitch channel at twitch.tv/playflygg and email [email protected] to elevate your collegiate esports experience! In the premier episode of Torchbearers, Kenneth "Kbot" speaks with Avery Pierce and Joe Mazaara from Wichita State Esports about their experience transitioning from student leader to Director of Esports (Joe) and Esports Program Manager (Avery).