By Dzuy Nguyen, Staff Writer
Khoi Pham is a senior at Fountain Valley High School who enjoys spending his free time playing online video games, most notably—League of Legends. Recently, Khoi has reached the rank of Masters, one of the highest ranks achievable in the game after dedicating hundreds of hours. He also leads the FVHS esports team as the captain, paving the way for future aspiring players.
“I queue up for games. When I lose, I lose LP, which are points that you need to have enough of to rank up. So when I win, I gain LP,” Khoi.
Games on the rift can last anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the pace of the game and each team’s progress. Each team consists of five players each with a specifically designated role, ranging from top, jungle, and mid to AD carry and support.
“I’m a jungler. I go from lane to lane between the three lanes applying pressure to the map. It’s the hardest role in the game,” said Pham.
Khoi started playing League of Legends back in 2012, when the game was still in its infancy. Since then, every competitive season, Khoi has worked vehemently to improve his skills in the jungle, ranking up along the way.
“It started out as just a way to pass time for me and have fun with my friends. Then, I just kept getting better and better. Next thing I knew, I’m playing alongside and against professional players.”
Although Khoi spends much of his time practicing the game, he still maintains a healthy balance between the videogame and school. He hopes that his example as a Masters player inspires others to continue pursuing greater heights in the game and in their life.
“At the end of the day, it’s not about the game. It’s about being able to work hard and dedicate a lot of time to something you really love doing, while still being able to do the things you have to do,” said Khoi.
