UK esports organisation Team 7AM and collegiate esports team KE6 Vanguard have struck an exclusive partnership.
The collaboration offers the students at King Edward VI College in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, access to Team 7AM’s competitive infrastructure, encompassing coaching, training and mentorship. Students will also have the chance to develop alongside 7AM’s content creators and on-screen talent.
In essence, the partnership – which begins in autumn 2023 and will ‘continue indefinitely’ – aims to ‘foster the growth of grassroots esports in an unprecedented manner’, connecting 7AM’s esports talent with students.
In a press release, the org said ‘it extends a much-needed avenue for students to hone their skills and pursue dreams of a flourishing career in esports’.
Founded in 2019, Team 7AM have competed in League of Legends, Rocket League, Valorant and Rainbow Six Siege. They currently compete in CS and League, and recently won the 2023 ESLOL Summer tournament. We interviewed Team 7AM on UK esports and an academy training platform late last year.
KE6 Vanguard compete in the British Esports Student Champs, a nationwide series of esports tournaments for school and college students aged 12+. The news comes as British Esports added Street Fighter 6 and Apex Legends cups to the Student Champs for 2023/24.
‘This will cultivate a talent pipeline for the professional esports sector’ – Team 7AM on KE6 Vanguard partnership
John Smith-Howell, founder and owner of Team 7AM, stated: “We are elated to collaborate with KE6 Vanguard and contribute to the blossoming of collegiate esports. This alliance will cultivate a talent pipeline for the professional esports sector.
“For me personally, this is an exhilarating beginning that I believe will offer immense benefits to the esports ecosystem. We acknowledge that a substantial number of students are passionate about esports, whether it’s playing, creating, or being involved. This partnership ushers these students into the professional esports realm with open arms.”
Jack Finch, head coach and teacher at KE6 Vanguard, commented: “We are thrilled to join forces with Team 7AM. This collaboration will provide our students an unparalleled opportunity to learn from the industry’s finest and potentially one day compete at the highest levels of esports.”
Principal of KE6 Nuneaton, Stuart Noss, said: “This is a landmark for esports in education. Our educators and partners at 7AM are leading the charge in uniting grassroots and professional esports for the future.”
Vanguard head coach Joe Cox added: “Currently there is a real gulf between organised esports at the collegiate level, as supported by British Esports, and the professional circuit. This partnership is an amazing opportunity to help bridge that gulf and create some clear pathways for our enthusiastic and talented young people.”
Further reading: See more esports education news here
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
