The E Blacks have been representing Aotearoa internationally since 2016, across the IESF World Championships in Jakarta, the Commonwealth Esports Championships in Birmingham, and the GEF Global Esports Games. Now we are building the next generation to carry that forward.
For the first time, we are scouting for a Junior E Blacks cohort, and all NZSS Clash Tournaments are our primary scouting grounds. School competition puts players under real pressure across a sustained season. That is where talent shows itself.
The Junior E Blacks is a development pathway for school-aged players already competing at a high level who want to know what the road to the senior squad actually looks like. It is not a direct selection into the E Blacks. Selected athletes receive structured training, representative-level coaching, and a clear look at the standard required to compete internationally.
For year one, we are running a small cohort across two titles: Rocket League and Valorant, with a maximum of 16 players selected across both games. We will watch five weeks of competitive play across Social and Competitive divisions, enough to see how a player performs across a season, not just a single match.
Selected players receive an official selection letter signed by the NZ Esports CEO, a Junior E Blacks jersey with their name and number, coaching and VOD reviews, direct mentorship from current E Blacks national players, NZ Esports membership, and a Jetts Gym membership where available.
To learn more, visit eblacks.nz and sign up for the NZ Secondary School Esports League Clash tournaments.
