Throughout sports history there are stories peppered with individuals that were not the primary option that delivered the game-winning play.
It could be argued that John Taylor, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass from legendary San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana, in a clash with Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII, was probably not the go-to option with Jerry Rice serving as the primary 49er receiver for a bulk of his career.
The same can be said of former Chicago Bulls guard and current Golden State Warrior head coach Steve Kerr, who delivered the game-winning series-clinching shot in Game Six of the 1997 NBA Finals. After all, Michael Jordan was double teamed by the Utah Jazz and found the open Kerr for the fifth NBA Championship in Bulls history.
The same can be said about everyone in life. There are decisions that we make hourly, daily, monthly and yearly that impacts us in one way or another. In the spring of 2023, Ty Gonzales, who competes for the High Point University Intercollegiate Club Sports ESports team, was left with a major decision in his own life.
Gonzales is a junior that is pursuing his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Cybersecurity. A native of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Gonzales is also a member of HPU Valorant Purple squad. He shared his story on his venture to High Point in a recent interview.
Leveling Up with HPU ESports (By: Ty Gonzales)
My journey with High Point University has been one of experiments, limit testing, and self-improvement. I've worn many hats and taken on many responsibilities, pushing myself and the club to grow and evolve into something not just respectable, but elite.
The Spring 2026 semester is going to be my sixth with the High Point University Intercollegiate Club Sports ESports program. We've got our work cut out for us, but I'm confident that we can make a statement. The following reflects my journey with HPU and the Esports team and a look towards the future.
High School and Falling in Love with Esports
I first got into Esports in 2020, when the world went into lockdown for COVID-19. It was fall of my sophomore year of high school, we were still going to school on Zoom meetings, and I had way too much free time on my hands. I had just built my first gaming computer with the help of a friend from Boy Scouts, and I played a game called League of Legends with him in my downtime.
Eventually, I learned about the professional league scene, and was hooked at first sight. I watched Worlds 2020 as Damwon Gaming took home the trophy, and I knew in my heart that Esports were something I wanted to pursue. I wasn't the best at League, but when the company behind it released Valorant, a tactical first-person shooter, I fell in love with the game and started grinding it whenever I could.
I carried that passion into 2021 when we returned to campus. At the end of fall, my principal came to me and told me he wanted to start an esports club at our high school, since our other sports were still under Covid restrictions. He knew I was obsessed with esports, so he had me look into high school leagues in our state of Hawaii. I did some research and found some competitions, and with the help of my computer science teacher Arlen Nagata we founded Hanalani Esports.
Over the next year and a half, we grew the club to cover multiple games and even fundraised to get better computers and equipment for the computer lab. That high school passion and experience have stuck with me throughout college, driving me to learn more and pursue multiple ventures in my new home, HPU Club Esports.
My Second Choice Proves to be Best Decision
During my senior year of high school, I applied for a Computer Science degree to three colleges: Santa Clara, High Point, and Hawaii Pacific. Santa Clara was a college that I visited during my junior year and was impressed by, especially since it had a very large engineering and computer science department and was in the heart of Silicon Valley. High Point did a visit to my high school during senior year, and I really liked the amenities and opportunities they advertised.
The location was great as well, being on the East Coast and within driving distance to Raleigh, Charlotte, and other cities with big opportunities in technology and defense. Lastly, Hawaii Pacific was a good college close to home. I was already familiar with their campus and classes, but I didn't want to start my career in Hawaii, where prices are high and wages are low. Of the three, I wanted Santa Clara first, High Point second, and Hawaii Pacific third.
Come spring of 2023, I had gotten acceptance letters from both HPU's and was awaiting a letter from Santa Clara. That letter came, but when I opened it, I discovered I had been waitlisted. I was devastated, but I knew my plan. When I didn't receive any more updates before May, I committed to High Point.
While initially I was disappointed that I didn't get my first choice, my time at High Point has been nothing short of amazing. The life skills and experiences I've had are invaluable, my education has been astounding (and challenging, 8 a.m. physics is no joke), and the food and housing is insanely good. The people I've met here - students, staff, and other friends - are connections that I will cherish for a long time to come. I'm excited to continue my education here through graduation!
Growing as a Club
With Esports joining HPU Intercollegiate Club Sports this semester, this is the first semester we've had an official coach. Up until now, most of our teams have been coach-less, or players and former students stepped up to coach. For example, in my freshman and sophomore year, a student named Palmer coached both my team and I (HPU Valorant Gold, most of whom are now in HPU Valorant White).
Palmer was super supportive and helpful, going through game footage with us and helping us with strategy and learning new mechanics. He would assist Julianne Minerva and I plan strategies for each map, including set plays and nuanced situations to pay attention to, that we would implement as a team during our matches. Palmer has moved on from coaching after graduating to focus on his career, but I still really respect him as a person, player and coach.
If there was a moment that I'll remember for a long time, it would be our Big South Championship win in spring of 2024. I was still a freshman, but it gave me great pride to see my friends compete and lift the trophy, and I've been chasing that feeling more as time has gone on and I've taken a more active role in the club. We'll be going back to Radford again this spring, and hopefully we can take down Winthrop and reclaim our crown. This upcoming spring is going to be very packed for HPU Valorant - NA Challengers Open Qualifiers, CVAL, Big South, PCL Premier, NACE Varsity, and other smaller tournaments. We've got a lot on our plate, and I couldn't be more excited. Even our secondary team, HPU Valorant White, is competing in a couple tournaments, namely PCL Ranked. We'll have plenty of opportunities to make more unforgettable moments this semester!
Looking Ahead
While the road ahead is complex, and we're competing against some opposition that has a slight advantage, we're on the right path. I know all of the players are putting their heart and soul into this club, and we're making tangible improvements in terms of performance. The recent inclusion of HPU Esports Club into the wider HPU Intercollegiate Club Sports banner gives me hope for the future, knowing that the school wants to invest more into the largest club sport on campus.
As the spring 2026 semester starts up, with new classes to ace and stories to tell, so too does HPU Esports. We've got plenty of competitions to win, new social media and broadcasting initiatives (led by yours truly), all culminating in the Big South Championship in late March. I'm incredibly grateful to all of my teammates (shoutout to Brett "Repetition" Sykes, God's gift to Valorant), to our friends and faculty, and to HPU for giving me these life-changing experiences. I wouldn't trade it for the world.
You can follow us on Instagram at https://instagram.com/hpu.esports, and watch our broadcast matches on Twitch at https://twitch.tv/hpuesports.
If you're a student and would like to try out for the club, reach out to Chris Sciortino at csciortino@highpoint.edu.
