Home is where the heart is for Bjorn “Zeys” Ong. But the Singaporean head coach of EVOS Legends is planning to stay in Indonesia for a while longer.
It is no surprise, considering how his leap of faith has reaped indisputable success. He captured the Mobile Legends Professional League Indonesia title in Seasons 4 and 7, and is gunning for a 3rd now in S8.
To say the 27-year-old is prescient may be hyperbole. But he certainly foresaw some golden moments. Accepting EVOS Legends’ offer to play Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) in 2018 was his “first step to great things”.
“Flying to Indonesia on my own and entering a country where I couldn’t speak the language (was memorable),” Zeys shared in an interview with Ulti.
From player to coach
Of course, nothing comes easy and he knows this well. As a former ranked player in Hearthstone, League of Legends, Heroes of the Storm and Arena of Valor, he had been on the cusp of glory numerous times, only to be set back by conscription or issues that hindered his development in the pro circuit.
Then came other regrets. In his early 20s, Zeys had turned down teams from the United States and Europe as he felt he could earn a similar salary in Singapore. But when EVOS Legends came calling, he refused to let that ship sail without him.
What a ride it has been. Regular viewers of his streams on Facebook would be surprised at his command of Bahasa Indonesia today. No one would have guessed his initial struggles with the language.
“It’s (being in the) environment day in, day out,” explained Zeys. “You hear enough, you pick up a thing or two.”
Being fluent in the local tongue does have its perks. You know, like communicating strategies better to groom a championship-winning team. It helps that he has lived and breathed esports for 12 years. In fact, he believes that his experience as a player allows him to be clear when bringing ideas across.
Hunger for success
But above all, his singular focus on victory defines his ethos. When asked how he juggles his esports career with life, he shrugged and said: “I don’t. There is no balance when it’s a competition.”
Strong words indeed. His drive is strengthened by a proper support system, and he remains grateful to his friends and family for the constant love. That has given him the motivation to plan for EVOS’ future.
“I want to pave the way for future esports athletes through our academy and coaching programs, in order to make esports a viable career path,” said Zeys.
Standing out from the crowd is what got him here. And if Zeys had the chance to meet his younger self, he would say: “Good job for being different.”
