Garrett Heflin (AKA Hollywood) of the North Carolina Reapers has been a console player since his father bought him his first PS2. His love of gaming grew from there.
“Console gaming just came naturally to me. I really liked the first Call of Duty and Crash Bandicoot games,” says Heflin.
In fact, he played Call of Duty competitively online and in a few in-person tournaments until he hit high school. At that point, he took a break from gaming to play football.
It wasn’t until January 2023, however, that Heflin got his first PC. “So far, I’m transitioning pretty well. I’ve picked up a lot of things about games on the PC,” Heflin explains.
Heflin is now entering his third season with Ultimate Endgamers League (UEL). “My Mom saw an ad on Facebook and thought it was a great way to play games and win money as a job. I was drafted in August 2022 and the more I continue to play with them, the more I fall in love with it.”
As the general manager of the Reapers, Heflin was proud to lead his team to a season 7 victory with fellow teammate and coach Damien Veal (AKA The Cat). “We’ve proven to be the best duo in the league for coaching,” he says.
Heflin’s motivation does not stop with competitions, however. “I’m always at the store,” he says, referring to his work at the Stafford, Virginia, facility. “I assist Titus Walker (UEL CEO) and Anthony Fuentes (UEL CEO, AKA 300) in whatever they need done. I take care of anything that can help UEL that day.”
“I’ve always wanted to be a professional gamer and make a living doing what I love. Any way that I can make a living in gaming later on is what I want to do,” Heflin adds.
Although Heflin still finds mouse and keyboard playing “a little weird,” it’s beginning to feel more natural.
His growing comfort with PC gaming combined with his talent and experience with console gaming has helped prepare him for season 8, starting in early 2024.
“Call of Duty helped me with shooting games. I know the ins and outs of every shooting game, so if you are good at one type of game in a category, you will be good at two other games in that category,” he explains.
As season 8 approaches, he is ready to hold onto his reign. “I’m not going to stop trying my best because at the end of the day, I love the competition,” Heflin promises.
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