Local Esports Players Heading to National Championship in Orlando
Twelve youth gamers representing Valhallan Camp Hill and Valhallan Lancaster will compete at the Esports Series Championship Nationals.
For many parents, youth sports look familiar: practice schedules, coaches, tournaments, team banners and long weekends cheering from the sidelines.
What may surprise some families is that one of the fastest-growing youth sports in the country does not take place on a field, court or rink.
It takes place on a screen.
This summer, 12 local youth esports players representing Valhallan Camp Hill and Valhallan Lancaster will travel to Orlando, Florida to compete in the Esports Series Championship Nationals at Full Sail University.
The players come from across Central Pennsylvania, including Camp Hill, Carlisle, Mechanicsburg, Lancaster and Chambersburg, with some families driving more than 90 minutes one way for training.
And if your first thought is, “Wait, esports has nationals?” Yes. Yes it does. And these kids are headed there.
By the Numbers
12
Youth competitors
2
Valhallan arenas represented
4
Days of national competition
Orlando
Full Sail University
What Is Esports?
Esports, short for electronic sports, is organized competitive video gaming.
Much like traditional sports, players train regularly, work with coaches, communicate with teammates, analyze strategy, compete in leagues and learn how to perform under pressure.
Modern youth esports programs can help kids build skills that extend far beyond the game, including teamwork, communication, leadership, problem-solving, confidence and sportsmanship.
In other words, yes, they are playing video games.
But they are also practicing, competing, strategizing, learning to be coachable and finding their people.
Meet the National Competitors
The following players qualified to compete at the 2026 Esports Series Championship Nationals through their competitive play and involvement with Valhallan programs.
Fortnite and Apex Legends teams will represent Valhallan on the national stage.
Fortnite Team #1: The Chefs
Jack Butler
Gamer Tag: Chef Jack
Age: 13
Valhallan Experience: 2.5 years, original member
Jordan Flores
Gamer Tag: Ravine
Age: 14
Valhallan Experience: 1 year
Fortnite Team #2: GUFF
Eli Schwalm
Gamer Tag: E the Bean
Age: 13
Valhallan Experience: 1.5 years
Lachlan Shamenek
Gamer Tag: Shammy!
Age: 14
Valhallan Experience: 2.5 years, original member
Fortnite Team #3: Famous People
Brady Mace
Gamer Tag: BLmaceYT
Age: 15
Valhallan Experience: 2.5 years, original member
Shawn Cook
Gamer Tag: Miko
Age: 13
Valhallan Experience: 2.5 years, original member
Note: Brady Mace also qualified in Apex Legends.
Fortnite Team #4: Newbies
Ethan Hernandez
Gamer Tag: 2am_Nova
Age: 17
Valhallan Experience: 6 months
Roland Benion
Gamer Tag: RolandBot5000
Age: 11
Valhallan Experience: 1 year
Note: Ethan Hernandez also qualified in Apex Legends.
Apex Legends Team #1: The Ravens
Collin Lehman
Gamer Tag: Raptor
Age: 15
Valhallan Experience: 2.5 years, original member
Alex Markan
Gamer Tag: Almark
Age: 17
Valhallan Experience: 2.5 years, original member
Will Markan
Gamer Tag: Willlmark
Age: 14
Valhallan Experience: 2.5 years, original member
Apex Legends Team #2: Stormborn
Ethan Hernandez
Gamer Tag: 2am_Nova
Age: 17
Valhallan Experience: 6 months
Brady Mace
Gamer Tag: BLmaceYT
Age: 15
Valhallan Experience: 2.5 years, original member
Bo Ritter
Gamer Tag: Ritt3117
Age: 13
Valhallan Experience: 1 year
The Road to Nationals
Step 1
Train locally
Players practice, scrimmage and build skills through Valhallan Esports Training.
Step 2
Compete in league play
Players compete through structured esports leagues and qualifying opportunities.
Step 3
Earn the opportunity
Players and teams qualify for the chance to compete at ESC Nationals.
Step 4
Compete in Orlando
Players head to Full Sail University for four days of national competition.
Training at Valhallan
The players train and compete through Valhallan Esports Training, a youth esports program offering coaching, team-based competition, leagues, camps and gaming/STEM programming for kids and teens.
Unlike the old stereotype of kids gaming alone in a basement, Valhallan's model is built around structure, teamwork and community.
Players are coached. They communicate. They review strategy. They practice together. They win together. They lose together. They learn how to be teammates.
And for kids who may not have found their “thing” in traditional sports, esports can be a door into confidence, friendship and belonging.
Why This Matters
For Andrew Aultman, owner of Valhallan Esports Training and XP League, having a dozen local players qualify for ESC Nationals is about much more than game scores.
“Having a dozen of our local players qualify for the Esports Series Championship in Orlando, Florida is an incredible accomplishment because this is the biggest and most challenging stage in youth esports,” Aultman said. “They have earned the opportunity to represent Valhallan Camp Hill on a national stage against some of the country's best youth esports teams.”
Aultman said Valhallan is building much more than a place for kids to play video games.
“We are building a program where students learn the same life skills that traditional sports have always taught: teamwork, communication, leadership, discipline, how to win with humility, and how to lose with character,” he said.
He also noted that youth esports can reach students who may not always connect with traditional sports, while still giving them opportunities to be coached, compete, grow and belong.
Coach Spotlight: Fortnite
Fortnite Coach: Kyle Ott
“This team as a whole is what Valhallan is all about,” Coach Kyle said. “A group of students who had a goal and worked tirelessly to achieve it. Making it to Nationals means so much. I can't wait to watch these kids not only pursue their dreams of championship level success, but take on the challenges and lessons that come with playing in such an environment.”
“Watching their growth has been the best part of this job.”
Coach Spotlight: Apex Legends
Apex Legends Coach: Johnathan Walker, gamer tag Unruly
“If you told me two years ago I would go to the Esports Series Championship with three players who never touched the game, I'd think you were crazy,” Coach Johnathan said. “From turtles in their shells to social butterflies, I've seen these boys grow into amazing players and incredible young men.”
He said qualifying for ESC is the result of hard work and commitment to growth.
“I remember our first championship banner and now look at us. Playing on the biggest stage in youth esports!” he said.
When asked what esports teaches kids, Coach Johnathan pointed to life skills.
“Everything in life is tied into it with a neat bow. Developing hard work ethics, leadership skills and accountability really runs deep in esports. And these boys show it every day.”
About the National Championship
The Esports Series Championship Nationals will take place June 25-28, 2026 at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida.
The event brings top youth esports competitors from across the country together for four days of in-person competition, including pool play and elimination brackets.
Featured titles include games such as Fortnite, Apex Legends, Minecraft, Rocket League, Valorant, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Overwatch 2, Rainbow Six Siege and Marvel Rivals.
For many players, qualifying for nationals represents months, and sometimes years, of practice, teamwork and dedication.
For parents, it may look a lot like every other sport: packing bags, getting schedules organized, making travel plans and cheering louder than you intended.
More Than Just Video Games
One of the biggest misconceptions about esports is that it is “just gaming.”
In reality, competitive esports requires many of the same skills found in traditional athletics: communication, teamwork, preparation, discipline, strategic thinking and resilience.
Players learn how to perform under pressure, work toward common goals and handle both victory and defeat.
Aultman also emphasized that esports can open real doors for students, including scholarship opportunities.
“Through competition, mentorship, and scholarship opportunities, our players are learning that the skills they develop in the arena can carry into school, careers, and life,” Aultman said. “We've had multiple local students get college scholarships, and as a national brand, we've helped our students receive more than $2 million dollars in scholarships.”
These players are not just going to Florida to play games. They are showing what youth esports can be when it is done the right way.
Learn More
Valhallan Esports Camp Hill
View Local Directory Listing Visit Valhallan Learn About Nationals
ESC Nationals: June 25-28, 2026 at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida
Disclosure: Roland Benion, one of the featured competitors, is the son of Macaroni KID publisher Rachael Benion. This article was written by a human, but AI was used for formatting.
