DALLAS — The auditorium erupted into cheers with every click of the controllers as the final two players started their showdown match at the Dallas ISD Elementary Esports Tournament.
Then it happened. The screen flashed: Player 1 Wins, and Martin Weiss Elementary School was crowned the Smash Bros. champion again.
“I felt like it was a shared win,” said Antonio Barnes, Weiss Elementary School esports coach. “My heart was racing, adrenaline pumping as if I were competing
myself while rooting him on from the audience.”
The Student Activities Department sponsors tournaments each year for the more than one thousand fourth- and fifth-grade gamers. Barnes has been the esports coach at Weiss since 2021, when elementary students became eligible to compete in tournaments. Under his leadership, students have consistently delivered outstanding performances in tournaments year after year.
Barnes’ passion for esports stems from his experiences as a young gamer.
“I began playing Smash Bros. on the Nintendo 64,” he said. “After all these years, my students have an opportunity to compete in Smash Bros. tournaments, playing a game I’ve known and loved my whole life.”
Barnes’ journey into esports coaching began with a simple realization: video games are more than just entertainment.
“It’s not just about playing a game,” he said. “It’s about working together, strategizing, and learning how to handle both victory and defeat.”
Eddie T., a student at Weiss Elementary, says he found his passion for esports from Barnes.
“He taught me how to play and how to get better at the game,” he said. “I never played Smash Bros. before I got into esports.”
Esports gives students a sense of community and an opportunity to shine in ways they never expected.
“Some kids who may not have been interested in traditional sports or clubs have found a place where they belong,” Barnes said. “For many students, joining the esports program has been a game changer—literally and figuratively.”
Beyond the tournaments, Barnes sees esports as a pathway to future opportunities.
His dedication to esports at Weiss Elementary is helping shape the next generation of gamers, leaders, and innovators. With his guidance, students aren’t just playing games—they’re building skills that will serve them for a lifetime.
“The esports industry is booming, with scholarships and career paths available in gaming, broadcasting, and coding,” Barnes said. “If we introduce students to it early, who knows where it might take them?”
