Inside Education Reporter
Last week, the gaming world was on the edge of its seats as Curro Esports, a pioneer in providing competitive gaming opportunities for young learners, concluded its highly anticipated Curro Clash National LAN 2023.
Spanning across two physical venues, Curro Durbanville in Cape Town and Curro Rivonia in Gauteng, as well as the limitless digital frontier, this event brought together the most passionate and skilled gamers from various schools nationwide.
From Wednesday, 27 September to Saturday, 30 September 2023, the virtual stage hosted 293 players from 32 schools, who battled it out in a thrilling Esports extravaganza supported by 50 dedicated coaches.
Over the course of three intense days, participants were organised into teams based on age and competed in several gaming titles such as Minecraft Build Battle, Minecraft PVP, Apex Legends, Overwatch 2, and Rocket League. The competition structure was designed to push players to their limits, with Round Robin stages leading to nail-biting knockout rounds.
Adding to the excitement, Curro Esports provided a front-row seat to the action by live-streaming the final matches on Twitch. Fans, families, and Esports enthusiasts from around the country had the opportunity to witness the incredible skills and sportsmanship displayed by these young gaming prodigies.
“The remarkable performance of the Group schools in the Curro Clash National LAN 2023 tournament is a testament to our dedication to providing a holistic education,” says Magdeleen de Kock, Digital Transformation Facilitator: Esports project lead.
“We observed remarkable teamwork, sportsmanship, and a genuine display of talent throughout the event. From thrilling matches to inspiring moments of collaboration, this tournament showcased that Curro Esports is not solely about gaming; it’s about nurturing our learners’ potential and connecting their passion with opportunities in the constantly evolving digital world. We congratulate all the participants for their outstanding efforts.”
The complete list of winners is included below:
| Title | School | Team | Rank |
| Minecraft Build Battles Open | Cooper College | No Circles | 1st |
| Herzlia High School | Senior UHS Minecraft League | 2nd | |
| Curro Vanderbijlpark | The Eagles | 3rd | |
| Minecraft Build Battles u/14 | Curro Mossel Bay | Mossel Bay Sharks | 1st |
| Curro Durbanville | Wolfpack Junior | 2nd | |
| Curro Krugersdorp | Rhinos | 3rd | |
| Minecraft PVP u/14 | Curro Krugersdorp | Rhinos | 1st |
| Curro Vanderbijlpark | Team_War | 2nd | |
| Curro Rivonia | Rivonia Raptors | 3rd | |
| Minecraft PVP Open | Pinelands High School | 1st | |
| Cooper College | Ender | 2nd | |
| Curro Krugersdorp | Tshukudu | 3rd | |
| Rocket League u/14 | Curro Durbanville Primary School | Wolfpack | 1st |
| Curro Krugersdorp Primary School | Rhinos | 2nd | |
| Curro Brackenfell Primary School | 3rd | ||
| Overwatch 2 u/14 | Curro Krugersdorp High School | 1st | |
| Curro Aurora High School | 2nd | ||
| Curro Brackenfell Primary School | 3rd | ||
| Overwatch 2 Open | Thomas More College | 1st | |
| Curro Krugersdorp High School | 2nd | ||
| Curro Mossel Bay | 3rd | ||
| Apex Legends | Pinelands High School |
