Three esports students from St Vincent Sixth Form College have just returned from a massive education and technology event in London. Competing for the college’s team, St Vincent Sharks, Matthew, Calvin and Lewis, bagged themselves third place in the Rocket League trophy at BETT 2025.
With prizes courtesy of industry friend and supporter Dell Technologies safely secured, Matthew reflected on the experience of competing in front of a large audience, which was certainly a goal.
‘It is quite overwhelming as obviously you are sat in front of an audience playing. Got to try to play to your best. Got to try to win the tournament. And with a team there’s even more pressure because you don’t want to let them down as well as yourself if you lose.”
The teammates really learned about the need to communicate well with each other, as they fought hard for the trophy. Turning to longer term ambitions though, Calvin and Lewis wish to learn more about marketing, a key part of the esports courses at St Vincent. They both found the trip worthwhile on that front, with Lewis saying;
“I gained a lot of social skills, speaking to the people there about their products. It was nice to see all different things going on and how they marketed their products.”
The students went with Martin Birch-Foster, established Teacher of IT and Esports at St Vincent. Martin took part in in two panel sessions on the prestigious Esports Arena at the heart of the BETT Esports village hosted by British Esports. Both sessions gave him the chance to talk about how he set up and then grew the college’s esports course to become what it is today. Martin said:
“St Vincent has been put on the map through its esports provision. We’ve got one of the best provisions in the local area and we are very heavily involved with British Esports. So when you go to London and mention the college team’s name ‘St Vincent Sharks’ they recognise it immediately because it is so popular. It is so big. British Esports, Intel and Dell Technologies are shouting about us all the time when it comes to education and initiatives.”
Martin is very keen that his students see the size of the industry at events like these, whilst running a course that prepares them for the future. The course is very popular, with young people attracted by facilities like the Piranha Tank, set up in 2021, and containing fifteen computers and comfortable gaming chairs.
And for anyone concerned that studying esports will all be about studying rather than reclining in those chairs in front of their favourite game, Martin offers these comforting, final words.
“And yes, students can play games on the course! It is encouraged.”
All pictures in this article, expect for the top one of all three students at college, are courtesy of British Esports and Jonas Kontautas.