GameWorks, Inc., an esports and entertainment company for millennials, teens and families with seven locations nationwide, announced today it has forged a partnership with the High School Esports League (HSEL) — a varsity esports organization with over 60,000 participating students across more than 2,100 schools — to help fuel the adoption of esports throughout high schools nationwide.

HSEL, the largest competitive gaming organization serving high school and education facilities in North America, is focused on making esports available to every student as a legitimate varsity level sport in high schools throughout the U.S. HSEL achieves this by working with faculty to easily offer students the chance to engage in healthy esports competition, surrounded by peers while supervised by teachers.

Under the agreement, effective immediately, GameWorks’ seven venues will provide HSEL members several benefits at its modern, high-tech, high-touch esports lounges, including free practice time for teams and individuals during designated times on weekdays and weekends; competition space for teams; and, special exclusive offers of food, drinks and time play.

The partnership between GameWorks and HSEL is designed to help players emphasize their studies while also advancing their gaming skills. As a leader in esports nationwide, GameWorks’ venues provide students the opportunity to do just this through organized, structured play and scheduled practices. HSEL approved GameWorks locations can be found in such cities as Denver, CO, Seattle, WA, Las Vegas, NV. A complete list of HSEL-approved GameWorks locations can be found at https://highschoolesportsleague.com/hsel-approved.

“Through this arrangement with HSEL, GameWorks is helping high school students improve their gameplay skills while considering professional player paths and also recognizing the importance the role of academics plays in their future careers. By opening up our venues to HSEL players, we are providing a safe, comfortable and state-of-the-art environment for up-and-coming high school players. We are confident that players exposed to our lounges will have a great experience and be afforded the chance to improve their skills and game,” said Philip N. Kaplan, chief executive officer at GameWorks.

Mason Mullenioux, co-founder and CEO of High School Esports League, added: “Our new partnership with GameWorks is a natural fit for our members as students now have access to premium esports lounges, even on weekends, where they can practice and compete. The new HSEL-approved GameWorks locations are fully featured with everything our players need to succeed in upcoming tournaments, such as the HSEL Winter Open, which is now open for registration to all North American high school students, or when they just want to participate in casual matches with friends. GameWorks offers our members a comfortable, robust environment where they can hone their competitive gaming skills and forge greater bonds with their peers while still focusing on their studies.”

The partnership coincides with registration for the HSEL Winter Open tournament becoming available to all North American high school students, regardless of whether they’re part of an HSEL-partnered school or not. Competitors can take part in the Winter Open from an HSEL-approved GameWorks location, their schools, or from home. More information about the HSEL Winter Open is available at https://www.highschoolesportsleague.com/tournaments/#winter-open-schedule.