Written by: Zein Ady Advincula and Mary Angela Aquino
Photo Courtesy of Harrisburg University Storm
“Passion will move men beyond themselves, beyond their shortcomings, beyond their failures.”
Just like how one Thomasian engineer was able to grab a bigger opportunity out of his passion for esports, particularly League of Legends.
He started playing since it was a known online game in his school before, and it helped him gain friends and connections along the way. Now, he sees it as a game where he can learn a lot, especially about discipline and how he can express his passion for playing video games. By playing LoL, he acquired a full scholarship at Harrisburg University of Science & Technology Esports varsity team in Pennsylvania, United States.
It all started when he was still in elementary. He used to play out of fun, but as time passed by, his skills were enhanced. With this, he got interested in joining tournaments and thought that one day, he could make it somewhere where he would be proud of himself.
Before his full scholarship, he was a former UST Teletiger member who was able to compete in various tournaments and has won, both locally and internationally. Yet life, just like a game, is not always as easy as 1-2-3. Getting to where he is right now is not overnight work. He invested time in practicing his skills and joining competitions. He also exerted a lot of patience and effort in order to land to where he is right now. Amidst these, he experienced defeats and doubts in life. Some tried to discredit his skills but instead of indulging himself with negativity, he treats them as mere noises. As he said, “The best way to deal with them is not to mind them at all or use it as a motivation to become better.”
Aside from external noises, he also struggled with internal noises. There are times that he gets frustrated for losing; he doubts if he can make it. But with the help of the people who are continuously supporting him, he is driven to be better, not only in playing but also in life. They are the same people who remind him of where he came from and that he should stay humble all the time. As he stated, “...Without those people who helped me, I won’t be where I am right now.”
From a simple hobby, it became a door for opportunities to come into his life. Through his experiences in local and international tournaments, he brought pride and victory not only for himself or his loved ones, but also the Philippines. Now that he has acquired a full scholarship in an international school, he will be playing as their bottom laner, with his nine years of experience as his edge.
As a part of the legacy he left as a former Thomasian Engineer and a remarkable Esports player from the Philippines, he stated, “The advice that I can give is to work really hard if you really want something. Have discipline and always learn from your mistakes. Because if you cannot overcome or fix your mistakes, you’ll end up doing it repeatedly.”
According to him, the best way to be successful is being able to push yourself to always be better and to never become complacent. For those who want to enter the world of Esports, he is reminding everyone not to look at every game as a competition. Instead, have fun because it is the main purpose of every game.
Former UST Teletiger member and a Thomasian Engineer, now creating his name in the world of Esports internationally, Michael “Maykel” James O. Gonzales.
