Merrill grad takes the coach’s chair in high school esports

Jonathan Myszka is finding out what the game looks like from the other side of the headset.
Myszka, a Merrill High School graduate, competes on the Valorant team at UW-Stout Polytechnic, where he’s a Sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering. He’s also coaching high school players at Durand-Arkansaw High School.
Durand-Arkansaw hired Myszka as its Valorant coach earlier this year, after he finished his first season with the UW-Stout Polytechnic Blue Devils. During the spring 2026 Wisconsin High School Esports Association season, he worked with players on their competitive skills while stressing teamwork, communication, leadership, and sportsmanship.
The school has since asked him back. Myszka, one of two UW-Stout Polytechnic esports athletes the district selected as coaches for the 2026-27 season, will coach Durand-Arkansaw’s Fortnite team this winter.
Durand-Arkansaw Esports Coach Kaitlyn Bero, the 2025 National Association of Esports Coaches and Directors K-12 Coach of the Year, said Myszka set a high bar.

“Coach Myszka not only met but exceeded expectations,” Bero said. “Myszka took time to plan drills, video-on-demand reviews, and lessons that met each individual team member where they were.”
Bero said Myszka pushed players to take on leadership roles and speak up, and he expected them to keep up in the classroom and hold one another accountable.
“I know that students coming out of the UW-Stout Polytechnic program not only care about the game, but the player behind the machine as well,” Bero said.
His players noticed, too.
“Having Coach Myszka help me learn Valorant was awesome,” said Jae Hayden, a Durand-Arkansaw Senior. “He was easy to talk to and really encouraging, which made the game way less intimidating.”
UW-Stout Polytechnic Esports Head Coach Aaron Froelich said Myszka is well suited for the role.
“They bring high-level competitive experience along with the personalities and character needed to coach youth activities,” Froelich said of Myszka and fellow UW-Stout Polytechnic esports athlete Sam Mead.