Skip to content

Boys and Girls Club launches Esports & Gaming Lounge

Todd Johnson, CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Northland, watched club members working on desktop computers at the grand opening of the Esports & Gaming Lounge for teens today. Howie / HowieHanson.com

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northland opened its Esports & Gaming Lounge for teens at Lincoln Park Club on Wednesday afternoon.

The Esports program is designed to engage members in competitive gaming while emphasizing healthy physical and mental practices. Centered around the concept of “Playing with Purpose,” participants will support their club team, compete in popular games like Fortnite, Rocket League, and other approved games, and learn techniques for a positive player experience.

The program aims to establish team-building and communication skills, enhance in-game abilities, and provide insights into the lesser-known side of the gaming community. Participants will gain an understanding of what goes on behind the scenes, the requirements for competitive game play, and the fundamentals of fostering a positive Esports community.

The new Esports program is made possible due to support from the Charles Schwab Foundation, Taco Bell Foundation, Pachel Foundation and a 10-member group from Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Duluth Program.

Since 1971, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northland has been at the forefront of youth development in Duluth and the surrounding area. The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs is to empower and inspire all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as caring, productive, responsible citizens. In 2023, the clubs served over 97,000 healthy meals and snacks, provided over 2,500 hours of tutoring and reached over 4,000 youth through memberships and community outreach programs.

Leadership Duluth members.

Comments

Latest

Howie: The real reason Duluth loves Hairball

Howie: The real reason Duluth loves Hairball

Hairball works at Bayfront Festival Park because the band understands something many modern entertainers, marketers and civic leaders often miss entirely: people are starving for shared experiences that feel emotionally uncomplicated.

Members Public

Howie: Forsman won't run for mayor in '27

Howie's daily column is powered by Lyric Kitchen Bar in Downtown Duluth. Arik Forsman on running for mayor of Duluth in 2027: "I am humbled ... that there are Duluthians who think I could make a half-decent mayor. But I have no plans to run for the seat

Members Public
Howie: Bayfront still may be Duluth’s best idea
The Whipper Snapper races are held during Grandma's Marathon weekend every year. Howie / HowieHanson.com

Howie: Bayfront still may be Duluth’s best idea

Bayfront remains one of the few places where the city still functions the way a healthy city is supposed to function: as a shared public space where people continue gathering together because they genuinely want to be there. Every summer, Duluth remembers that again.

Members Public

Howie: While others talked revival, Gary Doty did the work

Survival, for many old industrial American cities during the late twentieth century, became the central challenge itself. Doty helped Duluth survive long enough to rediscover confidence in itself again. That is not a minor civic legacy.

Members Public