The 2018 flag football season comes to a close tonight, so if you need a study break or just don’t have any plans, head down to the football fields and cheer on your friends! At the time of writing this article, I can’t predict who made it to the finals. However, there is a men’s A league team who has been impressive on the field throughout the entire season, finishing the regular season undefeated under leadership from junior chemistry major Nolan Chu. This team is “But have you met ajhong11?”
If you’re thinking to yourself, “What does that even mean,” you are not alone. It’s confusing to many people.
“Ajhong11 is Aaron Hong, one of our friends. He’s a great guy. Not too many people have met him,” said Davis Carter, a sophomore biology major.
Collin Lee, a sophomore biology major, said, “Early on in the semester, we were sitting in the cafeteria, and Brandon Park and I were talking to some people, but Aaron didn’t know them. Nolan [Chu] comes up to them and says, ‘Have you met Aaron?’ It became a joke. So when we needed a team name, we just put that as a placeholder. And then it just stuck.”
Aaron Hong, junior biology major, was confused when they first made their team name. He said, “When I first heard the team name, I thought it was a joke, but they just kept it. I was like, ‘I thought you guys were going to change it.’ But it doesn’t really affect my day-to-day life. No one’s asked for my autograph.”
Several of the guys on this team have played together in high school or against each other as many of them attended California academies. However, they credit having fun and their friendship for their success on the field.
Andrew Retz, a freshman biology major, said, “I believe we are successful because we are out there really just having fun.” He continued to say, “Of course we go out with the mindset to win every game, but during the game we are joking with one another. We communicate well with one another. We are all friends, so I feel like there is a natural chemistry within our team.”
Especially important to the team is Brandon Park, a sophomore biology major, who the team agrees is a huge reason for their success. Retz said, “My MVP for this season would be our quarterback Brandon Park because he can both lead and play well. He makes the big plays when we need them.”
Lee agreed, saying, “Brandon, as a quarterback, always keeps the play alive. He’s very quick and the rushers have a hard time getting to him, so he just runs back and forth until he gets the ball to someone and makes the play.”
Park says that he has a talented group of guys to play with, but credits someone on the sidelines for his success: “Aaron Hong is our MVP.”
Even if this group of guys does not win the championships, they put together a phenomenal season, and they hope that you too will meet Aaron Hong aka ajhong11.
Image credit: Madison Gang