After a few years without an esports team, freshman Jacob Ochan and Benjamin Requema have recently stepped up and shown that an esports team is a worthy endeavor by advancing to Nationals, with Jacob winning 2nd place and Benjamin 3rd.
Esports coach James Leonard said he always felt both freshmen were capable of winning, but was doubtful about Nationals.
“I didn’t know if we would make it to Nationals, but Ben was actually ranked the number one esports player in the league his eighth-grade year,” Leonard said. “I knew they’d be successful. I just didn’t know how far it would go.”
While Leonard seems determined to make the team better, the two freshmen, Benjamin and Jacob, feel it is already perfect and are confident they can place in the top 3 at Nationals again.
“It kind of felt surreal,” Benjamin said. “We thought we would go in and not get slammed by others or lose.”
With only about 2 hours of weekly practice, the two boys still did not feel much pressure before or after the competition.
“I dealt with it by playing a warm-up match before it,” Benjamin said. “It was a lot easier than I thought it would be.”
Competing at such a high level alongside someone from their own school boosted their self-esteem, even though they had to compete against each other.
“I also felt like we had better odds,” Benjamin said. “It was also kind of scary to go against each other during it.”
Jacob feels that what separates a good player from an elite player is their ability to read their opponents.
“I think it’s just learning combos,” Jacob said. “But not even that. Mostly read. Reads in general.”
Going undefeated in the Central US Conference is considered impressive, but Leonard knew Bryan High’s competitors were special from the beginning.
“I believe their attitude and also the bond that they have,” Leonard said. “They just have a really, really good friendship, and they stay positive no matter what.”
Most people believe competitive Brawlhalla practice is very structured, with drills, scrimmages, etc., but Leonard says competitors’ practice isn’t structured; it’s just natural talent or at-home dedication.
“They were both just kind of natural at it,” Leonard said. “Not to say that—or maybe not natural, I don’t know, but from what I can see, they didn’t really have to work for it.”
When it comes to Ben and Jacob’s mindsets, Leonard claims that he did not have to push much motivation into them; they just joined the team, naturally positive and level-headed. Their attitude is what separates a good player from a pro player.
“When it’s in an environment like high school esports, you really need to hone in on keeping your emotions in check—not just for sportsmanship and things like that,” Leonard said. “Because if you get tilted, meaning you lose control of your emotions, that’s going to affect your gameplay.”
Although Leonard is only in his second year of teaching at Bryan High, he believes perceptions of esports are changing, and membership is growing.
“I think it’s grown more diverse, too,” Leonard said. “It’s not just the typical gamer stereotype where you’d look at someone and say, ‘Oh, he’s a nerd,’ you know?”
In the long term, Leonard wants to create a safe, fun space where anyone can join to grow as a gamer or make new friends.
“I really just want to create an environment where everybody feels welcome, regardless of skill level or, like I said, what group they think they fit into or who they hang out with,” Leonard said. “I want it to be a space where people can make friends and find something they’re good at—especially if they maybe haven’t found that yet in other clubs or organizations.”
Jacob and Benjamin’s journey in competitive esports has only just started, and competing for Bryan High comes with its own pressure, but both boys are going to begin a new legacy for this school and their own future.
