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Box Elder Board approves UHSAA-sanctioned esports activity for high schools
Summary
The board voted to sanction esports as an official UHSAA activity at Box Elder High School campuses for the 2025–26 school year and approved associated stipends and startup supports.
The Box Elder School District Board of Education approved participation in Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA)–sanctioned esports at the district’s high schools on Sept. 10, authorizing participation, related fees and stipends for coaches.
Keith Mecham, assistant superintendent for secondary teaching and learning, presented the item and introduced students and staff involved in the club. Hayden, who identified himself as the team coach, described the three UHSAA-approved titles the district will contest — Super Smash Bros., Rocket League and Mario Kart — and said practices are structured one hour per day with competitive matches against other schools and mostly virtual play outside of region/state events.
Board members asked about team size, season timing and safeguards for student devices and district network security. Mecham said the district plans to work with Career and Technical Education (CTE) to fund startup equipment so students do not have to bring personal consoles through the district firewall. The board discussion also noted potential workforce links and career pathways tied to gaming, virtual environments, drone operations and related technology.
A motion to approve participation in UHSAA esports for the 2025–26 school year, including associated fees and future program expansion as interest dictates, passed by voice vote; the meeting record shows the motion and a second and that the motion carried on an aye vote, with no recorded roll-call tally.
Why it matters: The UHSAA decision makes esports a formal competitive activity with season play and potential district-level championships. Board members and administrators emphasized both competitive opportunities for students and possible alignment with CTE and workforce skills.
Implementation notes: The district plans to fund initial equipment through CTE and to provide coach stipends; the board approved positions for a head coach and assistant coach to support a roster that the coach said currently includes about 38 student participants (roster numbers may change when middle-school participants condense into high-school teams).
