Olathe Hosts Inaugural KSHSAA Esports State Championship

New state-of-the-art esports arena at Olathe Public Schools' Innovation Campus christens first-ever Kansas high school esports tournament

Jan. 30, 2026 at 6:55pm

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The Kansas State High School Activities Association's inaugural Esports State Championship is taking place this weekend at the Olathe Public Schools' new Innovation Campus, which features a cutting-edge esports arena. Teams from across the state competed to reach the semifinals in Mario Kart 8, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros., with the finals scheduled for Saturday.

Why it matters

The new esports arena represents a major investment by Olathe Public Schools in competitive video gaming, which is rapidly growing in popularity and providing opportunities for students to develop valuable skills like collaboration, planning, and teamwork. Esports is also becoming a pathway to college scholarships, making this event an important milestone for high school athletes in Kansas.

The details

The state-of-the-art esports arena can accommodate up to 12 players on custom-built PCs or 8 players on Nintendo Switch 2s, with ample room for spectators. The facility is equipped with screens and cameras to capture and broadcast the video game competitions from multiple angles. Teams from across Kansas competed in the semifinals on Friday, with the championship matches and third-place battles set for Saturday.

  • The inaugural KSHSAA Esports State Championship is taking place on January 31-February 1, 2026.
  • The semifinals were scheduled for Friday, January 31.
  • The championships and third-place matches are set for Saturday, February 1.

The players

Olathe Public Schools

The school district that opened the new state-of-the-art esports arena at its Innovation Campus, which is hosting the inaugural KSHSAA Esports State Championship.

KSHSAA

The Kansas State High School Activities Association, which is organizing the first-ever Esports State Championship tournament.

Oliver Barnhart

An Olathe East freshman who is part of the school's Mario Kart team that qualified for the state tournament.

Caleb Thompson

An Olathe East senior who is also part of the school's Mario Kart team that qualified for the state tournament.

Josh Umphrey

The Chief Technology Officer for Olathe Public Schools, who oversaw the creation of the new esports arena.

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What they’re saying

“It's honestly amazing. It's very high tech, very new, and I like the slick design.”

— Oliver Barnhart, Olathe East Freshman (kshb.com)

“If you asked me four years ago if they would ever have esports and that they would have a whole building, or room, dedicated to that, I wouldn't have thought that was possible.”

— Caleb Thompson, Olathe East Senior (kshb.com)

“Every time I look at it, I look at all the people who had a hand in making this reality. It goes all the way back to a sketch on a little piece of paper about what this could be like ... so it just is a very proud moment for our district.”

— Josh Umphrey, Chief Technology Officer, Olathe Public Schools (kshb.com)

What’s next

The championship matches and third-place battles in Mario Kart 8, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros. will take place on Saturday, February 1, with the Rocket League third-place match kicking things off at 9 a.m. followed by the finals throughout the day.

The takeaway

Olathe Public Schools' investment in a state-of-the-art esports arena highlights the growing legitimacy and importance of competitive video gaming at the high school level. By providing students with access to top-notch facilities and equipment, the district is helping to nurture the next generation of esports athletes and open up new pathways to college scholarships and careers in the burgeoning industry.