Valhallan Esports Training has officially opened its doors in New Braunfels, providing local youth with an organized and safe environment for gaming.

How we got here

Located on South Walnut Avenue, the center aims to give kids ages 7 to 17 the chance to improve their gaming skills while fostering positive social interactions and sportsmanship, said Ron Ray, co-owner of the gaming facility along with his wife, Summer Ray.

Ray said he saw a need for a structured esports facility after noticing their own children becoming interested in gaming.

“We have a 7-year-old and a 10-year-old who are starting to get into games,” Ray said. “Gaming, especially esports, wasn’t really organized around here except for in high schools ... so we explored the idea, studied the market and decided to open a franchise here in New Braunfels.”


What they offer

Valhallan Esports offers two main types of programs: competitive clubs and community clubs.

Competitive clubs focus on popular games, such as Fortnite, Overwatch 2, Apex Legends, Rocket League and Valorant, while community clubs give players the chance to enjoy other games, board games and casual competitions.

“At the core, the mission is esports competition, but we also offer those other things to give kids a chance to just have fun,” Ray said.


In addition to club programs, Valhallan Esports hosts leagues where players can join teams and compete in seasonal tournaments.

The Valhallan Esports League is a competitive structure, with over 2,000 members nationwide, Ray said.

“It’s like joining a little league baseball team or youth soccer team, except instead of bats and balls, we have keyboards and mice,” Ray said.

The impact


One of the main goals for Valhallan Esports is to offer a safe space for kids to play, according to Ray.

Many kids who game at home are on public servers where parents are unaware of who they’re interacting with, often leading to bullying and toxic behavior, Ray said.

At Valhalla, however, the servers are private, and all members are carefully vetted, Ray said, and the focus is not only on improving gaming skills but also on helping kids develop as better teammates and individuals.