About the school
Kyrene Aprende Middle School is a public school in Chandler, Arizona, part of the Kyrene School District. It is an AVID National Demonstration school, where students achieve academic excellence in an innovative and rigorous environment.
What impact has Valor had on your team's performance and improvement?
Valor was the reason my main JV team was undefeated for our entire Rocket League season, hands down! One member of their team started the season off as a Bronze but, by the end of the season, had grown to a Gold! When I asked him about the training, he said they were extremely helpful in learning the skills he was lacking.
All of my players saw significant improvements in their abilities. The only students who didn't progress as much were those who rushed through the program instead of focusing on skill development. My players became more aware of their actions during games, reminded each other of key techniques, and learned to refine their skills.
Before using Valor, we had consistently reached the finals but had never secured a championship win. After training with Valor for an entire season, both my JV and varsity teams went undefeated and won the district championship, defeating a team that had dominated for three years. I can confidently say that Valor was the reason for our success.
Are there specific skills or training methods from Valor that helped your players succeed?
My team loved the structured video lessons, step-by-step instructions, and controller maps that allowed them to replicate maneuvers accurately. The ability to rewatch lessons helped reinforce timing and execution.
Some of the key skills they developed included:
- Efficient movement across the map without wasting boost
- Various shooting techniques for better goal-scoring
- Defensive strategies, including countering demo-heavy teams
Demo avoidance became a crucial skill for us. I used Valor's extensive library to train my team on handling aggressive opponents who relied on demo strategies. This skill was especially useful in the finals, where we faced teams using this tactic. My varsity team specifically highlighted aerial training as a major factor in their success.
How did the structured training and resources make it easier for you as a coach?
The structured format of Valor made it incredibly easy to integrate into our training routine. Within two weeks, my students were confident using the platform and ready to improve.
The resources allowed me to differentiate training for different skill levels:
- Top-tier players refined advanced skills for higher consistency
- Lower-tier players focused on foundational mechanics to build confidence
Having all of these tools on one platform was a game-changer. If I noticed a specific area my team needed to improve, I could quickly find a relevant lesson and implement it immediately. This responsiveness made me a more effective coach and helped my students succeed.
What would you say to other schools considering using Valor for their esports program?
Do it! Valor gave my team invaluable skills that directly translated into in-game success. The structured lessons helped all of my players improve, and not a single student felt discouraged while practicing. In fact, I believe Valor's training gave my entire team more confidence heading into matches. As long as I am coaching esports, my teams will be using Valor.
Asked how likely he would be to recommend Valor to another teacher or coach running a school esports program, Kevin scored it 10 out of 10.
Kevin Blomberg, Teacher and Esports Coach, Kyrene Aprende Middle School