Town of Coaldale Adds Esports to List of Official Competitions for the 2024 Southern Alberta Summer Games

On Thursday, April 18, the Town of Coaldale updated its list of official competitions for the 2024 Southern Alberta Summer Games (SASG).

In September of last year, Coaldale was chosen by the Southern Alberta Recreation Association (SARA) to host the 2024 Games, which will be the first to offer full programming since 2019 when the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop to the Games for 4 consecutive years. Since September, Town staff have been busy organizing the Games, including finalizing a list of official competitions which - thanks to the Coaldale Chamber of Commerce - now includes esports.

Esports (short for electronic sports) refers to the competitive world of video gaming where individuals or teams compete against each other in various video game genres. These competitions can range from organized, multiplayer video game tournaments between professional players and teams to amateur level events.

During the 2024 SASG, up to 195 amateur players will compete in a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament on Nintendo Switch, with first, second, and third place players receiving gold, silver, and bronze medals.

“2024 marks the first year that the SASG will host an esports competition and we couldn’t be more excited!” said Mark McIntosh, Southern Alberta Summer Games Coordinator for the Town of Coaldale. “I’d like to give special thanks not only to the Alberta Esports Association for their guidance in adding Esports to the Games, but also to SARA for opening up the Games to a whole new demographic of participants. Finally, I’d like to give a special shout out to our esports chairperson, Andrew Wetterstrand, and to the Lethbridge School Division for agreeing to provide the equipment necessary for the competition. Without that kind of logistical support, this wouldn’t be possible.”

"Esports is a relatively unfamiliar area for many, so upon discovering that competitive video gaming would be included as part of the 2024 SASG, we were eager to participate”, said Jesse Sadlowski, Director of Technology Learning and Innovation for the Lethbridge School Division. “Our goal is to educate our community about what esports truly entails, so incorporating esports into the SASG will not only allow our dedicated gaming students to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but also, help us educate people as to what esports involves.”

Registrations for the Games will open on May 3 via the official SASG website and remain open until May 31. Registrations for esports will be limited to 15 participants per region (13 regions in total) on a first-come-first-served basis and is open to all ages.

Please also make sure to check out the 2024 Alberta Esports Championship, which is open to all middle school and high school students across Alberta, and will take place on May 3rd and 4th at the Lethbridge and District Exhibition Trade Centre. Find out more at https://aec2024.ca/. No entry fee is required for spectators.

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