![NEW CHALLENGE, NEW TEAM MEMBERS: Every season, VEX creates a new game that robotics team members are faced with and have to build a robot to compete in. This year’s game forces students to create a robot that is able to stack rings onto mobile goals in order to score points. The change in games each season is something that robotics teacher Audrea Moyers appreciates.
“One of the things that I like about VEX is that they have a new problem to solve every year,” she said. ¨Even though the equipment’s the same, they have to analyze the game, and they have to come up with solutions that are unique that year. They are using their knowledge from prior years, but they have to kind of redesign a problem.”
As returning teams were faced a new game, some new teams and members had to adapt to a uncommon playing field and game.
“Three of our four teams were competing for the first time this year, and they had very different experiences match to match, so I think they learned a lot,¨ she said. ¨It’s hard just watching a video online to know how it’s actually going to be in person, so they all learned a lot about what gameplay is like, how to work with an alliance partner [and] how to adapt during the day to changes.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_9283-1-1200x800.jpg)
What started as playing “Minecraft” on his dad’s phone as a 2-year-old turned into a passion that has given him one goal in mind: winning a national championship.
Video games have always been a part of Esports president Hansu Kim’s life. Whether it was playing “Minecraft” for fun, or “Valorant” and “Overwatch 2” competitively, his love for video games led him to make history by leading the school’s junior varsity team to qualify for nationals in 2024.
“No matter what, you always have a chance of winning with hard work, dedication and proper teamwork,” Hansu said. “Being able to qualify for nationals and being one of the top eight teams in the nation for high school Esports was a huge accomplishment.”
Last year, Hansu led the JV “Valorant” team to the national finals, which was the first time that two teams from the same game and school advanced to the final stages. Though neither team finished first, they did spark a rule change, as the organizers told them this scenario could never happen again.
“That experience allowed me to understand how much I want [to win,]” Hansu said. “Losing last year [helped] me encourage my team and myself to [play] our absolute best and ensure that we win. Understanding that even the league organizers, to a degree, are scared of Hebron and how dominant [we are] allows us to recognize how strong of a program we are.”
Hansu’s teammate Phillip Jeong, who has known Hansu since he transferred from Denton Guyer High School in their sophomore year, said that he’s seen Hansu put in the effort to improve his own skill and help others around him, too.
“If he wants to get better, he’ll put the time and effort into it,” Jeong said. “From sophomore to senior year, he’s [grown] a lot in his personality, how he talks, the way he acts around his peers and his friends. Overall, he’s become a better person.”
This year, Hansu not only moved up to the varsity team for “Valorant,” but he also became the president of Esports and joined the varsity “Overwatch 2” team.
“Moving to varsity as a leader was a pretty seamless transition [for Hansu,]” head coach Kristopher Phillips said. “He had the practice before [with JV, and] I’ve seen him step in to try to be helpful with other rosters. Without that leadership last year, he wouldn’t be who he is today.”
Esports has ramped up practices with the national league season starting up, which allows teams to qualify for the national championships. Hansu said that though the game comes naturally to him, he still learns as much as possible about the games and his opponents before competing.
“A lot of hours are put into perfecting my mechanics,” Hansu said. “Whether it be aim understanding — like the macro-level of how the game works — or the micro-level of how each character, agent or champion works, [the practice allows] me to have the biggest advantage against my opponents.”
Hansu peaked ranking in the top 200 players in North America for “Valorant” and Diamond five in “Overwatch.” Besides his skills in the game, Phillips said what has impressed him the most is Hansu’s demeanor.
“The way that Hansu carries himself, not just in his play, but [in] the way he can tilt the other team, [is impressive],” Phillips said. “His ability to get in the other team’s head is what [separates him from everyone else.] When he goes against people, they know it’s Hansu.”
This year, the national championship competition takes place at the same time as graduation. Hansu said the decision was easy to make; he has one thing in mind and that is winning — even if it means missing graduation.
“Hansu will go down as the best player in Hebron’s history and accomplish things no one else has,” Phillips said. “His dedication, his drive and his hunger: he’s got that mentality that you see [in the greats.] That ‘no one’s going to get in my way or stop me’ mentality. There’s nothing that he is going to allow to stop him, not even graduation.”
Hansu said his goal is to win a national title before he graduates, and he isn’t sure if he wants to go into professional gaming, despite his skill. But, even if he doesn’t play competitively, he said he will still love gaming and continue to use the lessons it has taught him.
“Video games will always be [a part of my life,]” Hansu said. “Whether it be playing with friends in college, on a day off to ease off, or in the future maybe with my kids. If it’s in my best interest to continue playing Esports, I’d be open to playing competitively. [Gaming has] allowed me to be able to grow connections and have better relationships with my peers and elders outside of the game.”
This story was originally published on The Hawk Eye on February 28, 2025.
