SHS eSports Coach Chris Brening Receives National Award

Posted on 06/04/2026

Scottsbluff High School Social Studies teacher and esports coach Chris Brening has been recognized on the national stage with the 2026 PlayVS Community Trailblazer Award.

The award honors individuals who have gone above and beyond to build, support, and strengthen their esports communities. Brening was selected in recognition of his leadership, commitment to students, and efforts to grow competitive esports opportunities both at Scottsbluff High School and throughout the region.

Under Brening’s leadership, the Scottsbluff High School esports program has expanded to include nine different game titles. Most recently, the Bearcats captured the Division 1 State Championship in Valorant, one of the nation's most popular competitive esports titles. Brening also serves as one of only three PlayVS Super Coaches in Nebraska. Students in the SHS esports program are receiving opportunities to compete at the collegiate level.

Brening has also helped establish the annual Scottsbluff High School Esports Tournament as a premier regional event. The tournament now attracts 16 teams from Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming and showcases some of the region’s top student competitors. Tournament championship matches are livestreamed on the PlayVS Twitch channel, reaching thousands of viewers nationwide.

PlayVS powers the nation’s largest network of officially sanctioned scholastic esports leagues. The organization partners with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Network, features many of the most popular competitive game titles, and provides schools across the country with opportunities to participate in organized esports competition through its world-class platform.

Brening’s recognition highlights the growing influence of scholastic esports and the role Scottsbluff High School continues to play in advancing opportunities for student engagement and achievement.

Scottsbluff Public Schools congratulates Coach Brening on this well-deserved national honor and thanks him for his dedication to students and the esports community.