Mikias “Snow” Yohannes is the support/flex player for Toronto Esports whom shocked the Overwatch community with their 11-12 seeding finish during the Overwatch Contenders Open Qualifiers. Not only could a solid placing during Overwatch Contenders catapult his career, but could make dreams come true. Snow is the owner of an emotionally touching story, that I could not do justice even if I tried. We’ve all been there, we all have similar memories, but Mikias “Snow” Yohannes turned those dreams into reality.

I got the chance to question him on his gaming history, his teammates in Toronto Esports, and who inspired him as an Overwatch player.

How are you doing this evening? Have you had a chance to catch the announcement of the Canadian Overwatch World Cup team in action at all?

I'm doing great, thanks for asking! And yes I did have the chance to look at the roster, and it looks super solid!

Awsome! I always enjoy hearing about a player's “story.” What got you into games? Were they always competitive for you? What is your gaming history like?

Ah, my story is really weird! So, knowing myself, I have always been an extremely competitive person. Starting on the Christmas of ‘07, my parents decided to get my brother and I a Nintendo Gamecube along with Madden 2007. My Dad and I would face each other on every other Sunday and every time we faced off, I would lose, and every time I lost, I would get angry with myself, and run into my room and think back to every misplay that I could remember. That call to not punt on 4th and 3, that decision to throw the ball when I was in the red zone in the second quarter, that fumble in the third, wasting my timeouts in the 4th, and so on. Slowly over time I got better, and after a few months, I won my first game against my dad. That sweet taste of victory will forever resignate in my mouth! That and the celebratory milkshake I had!

I guess that kind of passion to win, got me into sports games and then one day, in middle school, I overheard some kids in my class making fun of one of our classmates that I had never spoken to before about playing a game called Starcraft 2. That same night, I couldn't really sleep for some whatever reason, and I ended up pulling out my iTouch and searching some Starcraft 2 gameplay. It happened to be a professional match and as soon as I saw the game unfold, I fell in love.

That next day, the first thing I did at school was walk up to that kid that was getting made fun of, and talk to him about strategies and build orders and such, and now he’s my best friend. Starcraft 2 was where the bulk of my competitive drive was built. When I played Starcraft 2, I considered it “training” and not “playing.” I would train for 4 or 5 hours a day, watch replays of the games I lost in, and watch professional VODs when I wasn't doing homework or sleeping. I guess that sort of work ethic and drive is what made me the competitive player I am, and what made what I thought wasn't possible, possible.

So you mention Starcraft 2, what race did you play? Was there anyone that influenced your playstyle at all or was there anyone you looked up to?

ZERG! Life and Jaedong for sure! Their methodical way of taking down their enemy was always a pleasure to watch!

Ahahah, that's awesome dude, I played Zerg as well. How much of a dream is it for you that you’ve gone from watching HuK and his “top 3 control” to now being under his management and being able to talk to him on a daily basis? Does it feel surreal at all?

The first time I met him, I couldn't believe it. He's a really cool guy, and super down to earth! It feels extremely surreal—if you told 13 year old me that I would be talking and having brunch/meetings with that guy I'm watching on Twitch, winning foreign tournaments, and revolutionizing the game—I would drop my ten pound, AP US-History textbook on your foot and call you a lunatic.

Well, to dial it back a bit to Overwatch, congratulation on your Overwatch Contenders seeding! You and Toronto Esports placed incredibly well in the second day of the open qualifier. What does this mean for the team and the organization as a whole?

Thank you, thank you! I really appreciate it! It means a lot for the team and the organization. Way more than I could possibly describe. I believe due to prior rosters we’ve had, we were always seen as some kind of a joke or a meme, but I hope that all the hard work, and mental strength that each player has put in, has shown through to everyone.

The performance we had in the Contenders qualifiers gave us better scrims, which is amazing because now we have better tools to use to become a more talented team. I believe it also gave more recognition to an organization that has really believed in us through thick and thin, which I could not be more grateful for.

HuK mentioned the heavy priority on the support staff for Toronto Esports on his episode of Oversight. Could you talk more about what the support staff does for you on a daily basis? You mention “mental strength”, is that something you all as a team work on together? Not to have you spoil any trade secrets, but what do they do that sets them apart from the rest of the teams in Overwatch?

I think our support staff is really the embodiment of the term “quality over quantity.” During our time as the bulk of the roster we have now, our support staff consisted of, at the most two people -- John “DatsVile” Strizzi, and Tommy “itsToye” Yeung. DatsVile had to unfortunately step down from the org, for other reasons, but now we have itsToye and Ronald “Renanthera" Ly, who have been absolutely amazing to us.

They’re always there if we need a one on one, they are always there if we need to discuss a certain play or positional question, and I think the best characteristic of every support staff we’ve had is that you could really hear the passion in what they taught us. You could really see that they loved the game, and that they wanted us to really pay attention and work towards improving what they saw was preventing us from becoming the best. I’m blessed to be able to work with them each and every day.

Take me into the team atmosphere for a moment—who is leading the communication and leadership for the team? Is there one dedicated “shot caller” for Toronto Esports, who does the calling? What about their leadership sets them apart?

I believe our team atmosphere is one that builds off of each other. For “dedicated shotcaller”, that would have to go to our newest addition, Ludvig “Luddee” Hakansson, who we were very fortunate to pick up. He is our ultimate tracker and direction caller, but he does it in a way where no one is afraid of making a play or calling for something else -- kind of like a “If i see a play, I can ask the team to follow me up and do something impromptu.”

Is there anyone in the professional Overwatch scene that you admire? You mentioned Jaedong and Life as people you looked up to in SC2, but was there anyone that influenced your gameplay in Overwatch?

Chipshajen. From the start of the competitive scene for the game. I have not only admired Chipshajen’s mechanics and style of play from the beginning, but his attitude in and outside of the game is something that should be noted and taken as an example of.

Also, a player by the name of Lumberjack, who just so happened to be one of my good friends, was one of the first supports to go pro in Overwatch. He played for a team known as Colorado Clutch. Lumberjack taught me a lot about the game, and I was really fortunate to have such a talented and kindhearted friend to teach me the ropes of supporting.

Was there any team, in your opion, that surprised you or performed exceedingly well during your run at the Overwatch Contenders?

That would have to go to Immortals. I would never have thought that a team that just went through some big roster swaps, would train, bond, and play to a level like no other. They are indeed one of the most talented squads in the tournament, and I think they’ll go far for sure.

With Immortals signing KariV, Fate, and now envy, what do you think really set them apart from in their end of the Open Qualifier? Surely it wasn’t sheer mechanics alone, was it?

Not only mechanics, but a very methodical way of taking teamfights. During our match with them, it always felt like they had a plan on how they were going to win the teamfight and it almost always worked. I also believe they implemented the “korean-style” of Overwatch more so now, where they win games off of adjusting their composition and strategy to further turn a loss, or increase their lead.

Now, one player that did stand-out from your run at Overwatch Contenders, Jason “Jaru” White  is really has the potential to make some splashed in the North American scene. Knowing that you have that kind of talent on board, talk to me about Jaru and what he brings to the roster.

Ahh, there’s so much to say about Jaru. He’s the kind of DPS player where he kills you and you stare at your monitor all confused and wonder why you died so fast. I think what makes him extremely special is that he’ll never fall for the same thing twice. He always learns—from himself and from his enemy. He’s also an incredibly passionate player, and wants to improve more than anything, but it’s not just his skill that makes him incredibly exceptional. He’s a super down to earth, he’s always there if you need him, and he’s an amazing friend. And I know that if you’re ever on the same team as this guy, you’ll say the exact same thing.

I mean, let's go through the body bag: Evil Geniuses, Team Liquid, Hammers Esports, and then finally falling to Immortals in the Finals. After going through the gauntlet, you all managed to qualify with a good seeding going into the second phase of group play for Overwatch Contenders. What does all of this mean to you all as a team? What do you think was the fatal flaw against Immortals?

It means so much to us as a team. Our reactions to every teamfight win, every round win, every payload push, every map win. It felt so satisfying. It just makes us hunger for more wins. Hopefully we can show that and continue to show that. I really just think our match versus Immortals came down to experience and being more exhausted than they were.

So, with your seeding for Overwatch Contenders, what is next for Toronto Esports?  Anything that you’ve set your eyes on as the next target or are you rolling with the punches as they come along?

I think we’re more focused on what we have currently in front of us, and then yeah, rolling with the punches as they come along.

Now, to end we double back to you. What does Overwatch mean to you? What about Overwatch drive you to improve, day in and day out? Why does Mikias “Snow” Yohannes continue to play Overwatch?

Well, Overwatch to me isn't just a game—it never was. I felt like as I was growing up and as I was looking for a passion—like something I could chase, that would give me a purpose to wake up in the morning, and a purpose to put in that daily grind, I was lost. Video games and being competitive were the only things I loved doing, but I never would’ve believed it would have been possible to actually do. Overwatch granted me this, and without this game, I would still be lost.

This game has granted me a privilege that only a small portion of people get to experience, it drives me to be on that daily grind. It drives me to wake up early in the morning and develop my aim. It drives me to watch that VOD and note my mistakes. It drives me to become the best player I can possibly be. Overwatch served as this key that opened all these doors in my life, that without, I would’ve been locked away from, and for that, I could not be more blessed.

I play Overwatch so I can inspire others to be the best player they can be, inside and outside of the game. Just like Chipshajen, I want to have the skill, but also the attitude. If other competitive players want to experience this, I want to show them the steps in finding this key that opened all these doors for me. I want to help others find their passion, and give them the tools to put in the grind, because without the passion, the grind, and this game, I don’t know where I would be.

 Big thanks to Snow for giving an amazing interview. If you would like to follow Snow or track Toronto Esport’s progress through the second phase of group play in Overwatch Contenders, you can follow them here. @TOesports

Joseph “Volamel” Franco has followed esports since the MLG’s of 2006. He started out primarily following Starcraft 2, Halo 3, and Super Smash Bros. Melee. He has transitioned from viewer to journalist and writes freelance primarily about Overwatch and League of Legends. If you would like to know more or follow his thoughts on esports you can follow him at @Volamel.

Images courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment and Toronto Esports.