If your young gamer (ages 13 and under) is eager to begin competitive gaming but not quite ready to compete on an official team, the Youth Academy at Affinity Esports is a great place to start! The program offers a safe and nurturing environment to introduce kids to competitive play, ensuring their emotional and developmental readiness. Additionally, the Academy involves parents, providing education about the gaming industry, addressing concerns about game content, and offering strategies to support their children's success. The program is split into Level 1 and 2 as follows:
Youth Academy - Level 1 (Ages 7-13) Focused on 'E for everyone' games (Rocket League, Super Smash Bros, Minecraft Bedwars, and Minecraft Parkour if possible). Level 1 targets new competitive gamers, covering teamwork basics, tilt management, practice, and goal setting. Mondays 4:45pm - 6:30pm, April 29th to June 10th (No Session on Memorial Day 5/27) OR Sundays from 9:00am - 10:45am, June 5th to June 9th
Youth Academy - Level 2 (Ages 7-13) Targeted at older participants ('T for Teen' games), preparing for competitive play with FPS and other genres. Includes Valorant, Fortnite, Overwatch, The Finals, and League of Legends. Level 2 focuses on skills, teamwork, and leadership. Mondays 6:45pm - 8:30pm, April 29th to June 10th (No Session on Memorial Day 5/27) OR Sundays from 11:00am - 12:45pm, June 5th to June 9th
REGISTER HERE FOR A FREE TRIAL SESSION ON APRIL 29 OR MAY 5
"Affinity is one of the most positive places I have been to, they have taught me teamwork and being a good teammate. Win or lose they are always positive and looking for a way to improve on everyone, one step at a time." - Jackson (Player)
New to ALL of this and want to start from the beginning? Check out Gaming Foundations!
This class introduces kids to competitive organized gaming (also known as Esports) in an engaging environment for kids to learn skills, make friends, and explore the gaming industry. Your child will experience a variety of games and learn about digital content creation, game creation, and esports. Coaches emphasize character-building, communication, teamwork, balance, wellness, and basic internet safety. The Spring Session begins April 29. Learn more about this class and a variety of other classes for kids interested in exploring their passion for gaming this Spring.
Weekly Community Game Nights - Get a Taste of What Affinity Esports is All About!
Intrigued but not sure you are ready to sign up for a whole session? If you can't make one of the free trial classes above, register for an upcoming weekly game night to get a feel for what Affinity Esports is all about! These community game nights are open to all, including those registered in classes.
- Family Game Night (All Ages, Families), Wednesdays 6-8pm ($10/hour)
- Youth Game Night (Ages 7-15), Fridays 6-9pm ($35)
- Young Adult Game Night (Ages 16-25), Saturdays 6-10pm ($25)
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ABOUT AFFINITY ESPORTS
Founded in 2021, Affinity Esports is Connecticut’s premier organization for healthier gaming. They are on a mission to create safe spaces that deliver holistic experiences for all gamers, achieving this through structured programming that increases accessibility, community education, and inclusion. By elevating the long-term benefits of esports to the forefront of discussions and normalizing people's passion, Affinity Esports has created an engaging community of gamers and advocates who are committed to balancing wellness, education, mentality, competition, and socialization. They have a distinct focus on growing esports across Connecticut.
Through their recreational programs, children are introduced to the world of esports, full of new and emerging career paths, experiential learning, and highly engaging social activities. Each of these programs has been structured to reinforce critical life skills, such as teamwork, communication, and problem solving. Through their time with us, we will guide children to build healthy habits and harness their passion with an extreme commitment to balancing wellness, education, mentality, competition, and socialization. Esports have been linked to powerful outcomes, such as improved social and emotional skills, problem solving, future career viability, and academic performance.
For more information about Affinity Esports, visit https://www.affinityesports.gg/ and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, TikTok or Discord (Username: subhuman#6200).
