Game Gym Offers Esports Summer Camps For Young Gamers In Northern VA

HERNDON, VA — Josh Hafkin was like any other kid growing up in the Washington, D.C. area. Although he took part in community sports, the experience left him feeling grossly unprepared for life.

"Later on in life, I got into video game marketing and I was able to look at both of these worlds and realize that there was a need for education at the developmental level for esports and video games the same way there is for other sports," he said.

With this philosophy in mind, Hafkin launched Game Gym in 2018 to provide structured training sessions by certified esports coaches year-round virtually and in-person at six locations in Northern Virginia and Maryland. Young gamers can sign up for private training or camps, as well as participate in a variety of local and online league tournaments.

This summer, Game Gym is offering week-long summer camps for young gamers at four locations in Fairfax County: Hashtag Gaming Arena in Herndon, Congressional Camps in Falls Church, and both George Mason University and the University of North America in Fairfax. Campers will be able to hangout with other gamers, while honing their skills on Minecraft, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros.

"Obviously, we teach them about the games and we help them learn different skills," Hafkin said. "We also have conversations with them about the importance of effective communication. If you're in a game and you say, 'Over there,' my over there is different from yours. You help somebody understand and see your point of view, which is a great skill to learn in life."

Campers will also learn about the importance of good health, getting enough sleep and making time to exercise.

"What we really do is make sure that our camps are holistic," Hafkin said. "We go on walks. We take time away from the keyboard. We have really important conversations about all kinds of different things."

Typical Camp Schedule:

• 9 a.m.: Morning meeting and group discussion
• 9:30 a.m.: Morning Session led by a guest or Game Gym coach, with topics like mental health, nutrition, communication or the business of esports.
• 11:30 a.m.: Excercise! Swimming, outdoor team building, etc.
• 12 p.m: Lunch
• 1 p.m.: Game Training Session - Campers will work with an experienced Game Gym coach to practice skills and strategies in their favorite video game.

Hafkin admitted that sometimes parents have qualms about signing their child up to play video games rather than doing something else.

"The story that I tell those parents is when Taekwondo first came to America, people said, 'Why would I pay you to teach my kid how to fight?' That was the argument," he said. "It's the same thing. 'Why would I pay you to teach my kids how to play video games?' It's not about that. It's not about fighting."

Most parents don't sign their child up to play soccer with the expectation their son is going to be the next David Beckham or their daughter the next Mia Hamm.

"You want them to make friends," Hafkin said. "You want them to learn and have experiences and that's what we're providing for these kids. It's not about limiting screen time and never letting your kids see a screen. It's about making sure that that screen time is purposeful, and that we're going into this with intention and supervision."

Upcoming Summer Camps in Virginia 2022:

• George Mason University: Minecraft, Super Smash Bros. & Valorant Camps: June 21-24
• George Mason University: Minecraft & Rocket League Camps: June 27-July 1
• George Mason University: Minecraft, Super Smash Bros. Camps: June 27-July 1
• George Mason University: Rocket League & Valorant Camps: June 27-July 1
• University of North America (Fairfax) - Minecraft Camp: June 20-24
• University of North America (Fairfax) - Minecraft Camp: June 27-July 1
• University of North America (Fairfax) - Minecraft Camp: July 5-8
• University of North America (Fairfax) - Minecraft Camp: July 11-15
• University of North America (Fairfax) - Rocket League Camp: July 18-22
• University of North America (Fairfax) - Rocket League Camp: July 25-29
• Falls Church - Super Smash Bros. Camp: Aug. 15-19
• Falls Church - Rocket League Camp: Aug. 15-19
• Falls Church - Minecraft Camp: Aug. 15-19
• Herndon: Super Smash Bros. Camp: July 5-8
• Herndon: Rocket League Camp: July 5-8
• Herndon: Super Smash Bros. Camp: July 11-15
• Herndon: Rocket League Camp: July 11-15

More information about Game Gym summer camps or coaching programs is available online.