Several months ago, Bien “Boyet DR” Chumacera, Dominic “Domengdr” Del Mundo, Danver “Ding DR” Canja, Mitzuki “Brusko DR” Akiyama, and Christian “Goyongdr” Martinez made the biggest gamble of their young careers.
After securing their release from Cerebrum Esports last June, all five players had the opportunity to jump to the pros after getting recruited individually by different clubs prior to the start of Season 10.
Boyet Dr, Domengdr, Ding Dr, Brusko DR, and Goyongdr were the most sought-after talents during that off-season after they led their former team to 11 consecutive championships in the amateur scene.
(C) Nexplay Minana
At last, the dream of finally making it into the MPL was finally within reach for all five players.
But in the end, the quintet decided to stick together and run it back in the amateurs, hoping that an MPL franchise will take notice and sign them as a team because, for the five, parting ways was never part of the plan.
The dream has always been to make it into the MPL together. And they stuck to that dream, even if it meant rejecting guaranteed contracts that could have helped their respective families in trying times like this.
“Lahat po kasi kami nag-decide na mag-stay na lang kasi last season meron kaming iba’t ibang opportunities sa ibang teams,” revealed Goyongdr during the Season 11 media day last January 26 at the GAMA Studios in Makati City.
“Pero mas pinili naming ano, mag-stay saka mag-tiwala sa isa’t isa kasi naniniwala kami na kayang kaya namin and ayun nga, nandito na kami,” he added.
After declining their respective offers, the team found a new home in Minana Esports where they spent the past months honing their craft and making themselves ready for when the phone finally rings.
Seven months later, the phone finally rang.
And it’s not just them who are making it to the pros but the same team that took a chance on them as well.
Nexplay Esports, who already released its entire roster except for one, made one of the biggest surprises in the off-season and forged a partnership with Minana Esports which gave the latter the opportunity to field their own players in the upcoming MPL Philippines Season 11.
“Masarap sa feeling and thankful kasi lahat naman kami nag-sakripisyo kasi galing kami lahat sa wala tapos ngayon parang pinili pa rin namin na magkakasama [kami], hindi kami naghiwa-hiwalay kahit anong struggles yung pinagdaanan namin,” added BoyetDR.
(C) Nexplay Minana
With the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity finally in their hands, Boyet DR and the rest of Minana Esports vow to make it count and prove to everyone that they are more than deserving to be on the big stage.
“So ngayong lima kaming tumungtong sa pro, papakita talaga namin yung galing namin. Iba yung galing talaga namin [kesa nung nasa] amateur pa kami.”
