EPCHS Selected As Site For IHSA eSports State Finals

EVERGREEN PARK, IL – Evergreen Park Community High School has been selected as the host of the 2023 Illinois High School Association eSports state finals. IHSA staff members recommended EPCHS be named the state host at their board meeting Wednesday, IHSA assistant executive director Matt Troha said.

eSports, which includes Smash Brothers, Rocket League, 2K and other video games, is in its second year as a sanctioned IHSA activity. EPCHS, under the direction of faculty sponsor Dan Truffa, was among the first schools competing in the activity, hosting and traveling to a variety of tournaments from February through April, 2022.

The first eSports state tournament was held in Bloomington last spring, with EPCHS set to host the event at its brand new eSports lab in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) this spring.

“Evergreen Park Community High School is thrilled to be selected as the host of the 2023 IHSA eSports state finals,” EPCHS District 231 Superintendent Thomas O’Malley said. “As an educational institution, we are dedicated to providing students with every opportunity to represent their schools and communities, and view eSports as an avenue to accomplish that goal not just for our students but for students across the state of Illinois.”

“We look forward to working with the IHSA, our community, and partnering schools to continue to grow eSports as an event and offer students the opportunity to compete in an activity they are passionate about,” O’Malley added.

The eSport state finals will take place in April, according to the IHSA website.