ÉDS Lavender Dragons Race to 3rd Place at National Minecraft Dog Sled Competition
The École Dugald School community is thrilled to celebrate the ÉDS Lavender Dragons and their impressive 3rd place finish at the Esport Canada EDU Dog Sled National Minecraft Competition!
This national event included builds from the top 9 scholastic-teams from across the country, all of whom qualified through rigorous provincial tournaments. Among them, the Lavender Dragons stood out for their creativity, teamwork, and cultural understanding as they tackled one of the most unique and meaningful esport challenges of the year.
Set in the snowy terrain of Pimachiowin Aki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Dog Sled Design Challenge asked students to create immersive race courses that blended the excitement of Mario Kart-style gameplay with the rich traditions of Indigenous dog sledding. Using a custom Minecraft map grounded in the history of the Anishinaabe and the Bloodvein River First Nation, participants had to balance fast-paced design with cultural storytelling.
The ÉDS Lavender Dragons — Kylah Thompson, Addison Willoughby, Danika MacLean, Brea Suszczynski, and Libby Janz — rose to the occasion. Their course featured icy turns, clever obstacle placement, and thoughtful use of the map’s Indigenous-themed elements, including traditional architecture and symbolism. With power-ups, customized sled paths, and carefully timed mechanics, the Lavender Dragons delivered a track that impressed the national judging panel and earned them a podium finish.
The competition wasn’t just about speed or aesthetics — it was about honoring Indigenous heritage through a modern lens of technology and game design. Every twist and turn of the Lavender Dragons’ course reflected both playful ingenuity and respect for cultural roots, showcasing exactly why this competition is a model for education-driven esports.
Congratulations to the ÉDS Lavender Dragons on their outstanding performance and for proudly representing École Dugald School and Manitoba on the national stage!
Be sure to see their amazing build on the Esport Canada EDU website: Esport Canada EDU - National Minecraft Results