Meet the Misfits
Riot··3 votes·23,643 views
With a name like Misfits, you might expect a ragtag bunch of Challenger players. Instead, this diverse group sports an extremely positive team atmosphere, combining talent and friendship into the perfect recipe for success.
When Challenger top laner Oleksii "RF Legendary" Kuziuta found out about this promising squad, he knew that he wanted in. "I just kind of started talking to Alex and I heard about the team," says RF Legendary. "I wanted them to give me a tryout, because none of the other teams would give me one. I think it was Maria that asked to give me a chance." With Ritchie "Intense" Ngo as their AD carry, the roster was now complete and Misfits was in need of a coach. That's when David "Hermes" Tu heard about the team through an article online.
"I had coached RF Legendary on a team back in May of last year, and [remember] thinking he was just this untapped jewel," Hermes said. "I heard that he was a candidate for [Misfits'] roster at the time, so I asked him to send in my resume. I went through a trial, and eventually became Misfits' coach."
Though he doesn't have the same level of experience, Hermes believes that RF Legendary plays an equally important role in keeping the team's environment positive and productive. "He's really good under pressure and does a great job of maintaining not only his own [high level] gameplay, but also assisting Alex and Alberto with alleviating the pressure and reassuring the team that things are going to be okay." Alex Ich is also grateful for their up-and-coming top laner's role on the team. "I am really glad that we got RF Legendary as player because when things look grim he is always positive and helps us to handle rough situations during the game."
After dominating their League, the team is confident that they can climb their way to the top. "I think our team is stronger than TDK, so I really believe that we have good shot to get into LCS the next year," says Alex Ich. Hermes is even more confident in Misfits, saying that the sky's the limit. "We will probably be top in North America. I don't really want to make any predictions because playing a competitive match on a huge stage in front of a huge audience changes everything. If we're an amazing team, I can even see us making it to Worlds, maybe even winning it."
The Melting Pot
Misfits is made up of veterans and fresh faces alike. Founded in 2015, the first additions to the NA Challenger roster were seasoned pros Alexey "Alex Ich" Ichetovkin and Alberto "Crumbzz" Rengifo. Maria "Remilia" Creveling, a relative newcomer, was added to the roster soon after. She had practiced with Alex Ich's former team, Brawl, and was considered a diamond in the rough. "I was recommended to Misfits' owner Chris Badawi, who contacted the owner of [my former team] Roar, Eric Wong," Remilia says. "They're both very lovely people, the nicest I've ever met in the scene. The transfer went through smoothly, we started practicing, and I got along well with both Alex and Alberto."
When Challenger top laner Oleksii "RF Legendary" Kuziuta found out about this promising squad, he knew that he wanted in. "I just kind of started talking to Alex and I heard about the team," says RF Legendary. "I wanted them to give me a tryout, because none of the other teams would give me one. I think it was Maria that asked to give me a chance." With Ritchie "Intense" Ngo as their AD carry, the roster was now complete and Misfits was in need of a coach. That's when David "Hermes" Tu heard about the team through an article online.
"I had coached RF Legendary on a team back in May of last year, and [remember] thinking he was just this untapped jewel," Hermes said. "I heard that he was a candidate for [Misfits'] roster at the time, so I asked him to send in my resume. I went through a trial, and eventually became Misfits' coach."
Big Brothers
As the most seasoned players on the team, Alex Ich and Crumbzz serve as mentors for their younger teammates. "They're certainly the veterans, especially when it comes to more stressful environments," says Hermes. "They'll be there to help cool everyone down, even when things are going great and we're getting too excited."
Though he doesn't have the same level of experience, Hermes believes that RF Legendary plays an equally important role in keeping the team's environment positive and productive. "He's really good under pressure and does a great job of maintaining not only his own [high level] gameplay, but also assisting Alex and Alberto with alleviating the pressure and reassuring the team that things are going to be okay." Alex Ich is also grateful for their up-and-coming top laner's role on the team. "I am really glad that we got RF Legendary as player because when things look grim he is always positive and helps us to handle rough situations during the game."
Like Family
Misfits' chemistry is what makes them really stand out. As a tight-knit band of friends, the team prides themselves in emphasizing a friendly environment where they can feel comfortable with each other in and out of the game. "I really enjoy hanging out with this team," says Hermes. "Our professional and personal relationships get intertwined because it is both a video game and a competitive circuit so some things can be compromised, but I would argue it's one of the most important ingredients to a winning formula for competitive teams." When it comes to overcoming challenges as a team, Hermes chuckles at the prospect. "If I told you things have felt very easy thus far, would you believe me?" RF Legendary shared a similar level of concern regarding the team's struggles, or lack thereof. "Moving in, I had some difficulty learning how to use the microwave!" he said. Misfit's fun-loving attitude has made this ragtag gang of players into a cohesive unit who is able to focus all of their attention on the game without many of the internal problems that young teams encounter."Our Intent is to Win"
Amidst all the fun, don't let their seemingly lighthearted approach fool you. Going nearly undefeated in the AlphaDraft Challenger League, these Misfits are a force to be reckoned with. "I'm not sure how other teams operate, but we have a very relaxed and professional demeanor when we're in game," says Remilia. "We still have fun but our intent is to win, that's what we're here for." Following the departure of AD carry Intense, the newest addition to the Misfits is Mohammad "Jebus" Tokhi. The team isn't worried that their impressive record will falter as a result of this recent roster change. "Essentially we had actually been looking at Jebus for a very long time. He had worked with Alex prior, and purely off his personality and how he interacts with his teammates, we could tell that he would be a good fit for us," says Hermes. Emphasizing their team play over anything else, the team feels that Jebus will be able to hold his own. "That's exactly what we need, consistency. From there, I can mold him into the kind of macro-style AD carry that he needs to be for this team to perform at an international level."
After dominating their League, the team is confident that they can climb their way to the top. "I think our team is stronger than TDK, so I really believe that we have good shot to get into LCS the next year," says Alex Ich. Hermes is even more confident in Misfits, saying that the sky's the limit. "We will probably be top in North America. I don't really want to make any predictions because playing a competitive match on a huge stage in front of a huge audience changes everything. If we're an amazing team, I can even see us making it to Worlds, maybe even winning it."
