Henry Hoang (he/him), 19, currently attends Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) as a Rocket League player on their esports team. Hoang is a sophomore studying information technology (IT) and the cybersecurity field. He is Vietnamese but was born and raised in Orange County, California.

“At Annandale High School, where I went before NOVA, I had the opportunity to join a Rocket League team there but was cut short due to the pandemic. However, being able to play, learn, and spend time with friends at NOVA really enlightened me on the aspect of being an esports player,” said Hoang, “I play Rocket League for Nova, a soccer game that involves rocket-powered cars battling to see who scores the most. Playing for NOVA is very different from playing by myself, with teammates that communicate on positioning, when to go or not, and just being able to understand everyone always improves my game. Whether I am reanalyzing losses or wins, strictly in the training lobby striving to learn a new move or just playing more to be consistent at things I’ve already learned, improvement is key to getting better.”

When Hoang is not gaming, he is studying, exercising, and spending time with his family. 

“Being a full-time student at Nova depending on the time of the semester like midterms and finals is when things get a little difficult to manage, but having a team that understands and will help you, makes that stress feel a bit easier to handle,” said Hoang.

After his time at NOVA, he has planned to get as many COMPTIA certifications as he can, to begin his journey into the work field, but of course not forgetting about Rocket League. Hoang said Rocket League has taught him that if you put the hours into it, you will reap what you sow.

“The NJCAAE is a perfect place to hone your skills and test them across other teams to compete against a title. Knowing this, you have to prepare and thus train your mind to be ready for anything, or anyone. Being an esports player doesn’t come with any stereotypes, if you’re around the people that are saying that, simply disassociate from that group. Everyone is definitely different and I for one am proud that I get to play at a collegiate level for a community college,” said Hoang.

Lee Sin from League of Legends has always been Hoang’s favorite player. 

“I’m not sure if it’s because he’s a blind monk that traversed his way to being a champion, but something from him stood out and I’ve always used him for that reason,” said Hoang.

Five years from now, he hopes to have a job that can support all of his endeavors, keep food on the table, and a roof over his and his loved ones’ heads. He also wants to still be playing Rocket League, or any other games in his free time. Finally, he hopes to have his dream car by then, so that he can “have a blast driving through neighborhoods”. If you see a Rocket League player in a Toyota Supra driving through your neighborhood in 5 years, it will most likely be Henry Hoang, a NOVA alum!