Last weekend (Mar. 23), the nation’s brightest youth Go players went head-to-head in teams of three with the support of their dedicated coaches in the two-day annual AGHS School Team Tournament (STT). Composed of 17 teams, the tournament was split into two separate divisions.
Emerging victorious in Division 1 was Zhou’s Go School (Team 1), while Mason Huaxia Chinese School, who swept all four rounds, took it home for Division 2.
Differing from the other tournaments hosted by the AGHS, the STT places more emphasis on teamwork.
“Through the STT, we are able to connect the youth of the Americas by allowing them to play together as a team and form bonds,” said Tournament Director Steve Zhang.
From last year’s School Team Tournament, there has been a noticeable shift of new players and teams participating in the 2024 STT. The AGHS is thrilled to continue and provide opportunities to foster the growth of these young players.
“Seeing my teams, one comprised of 1D players and the other of 7K players, come together and compete was incredibly exciting” said Michael Zhou, the coach of Division 1’s winning team.
Despite the triumphs and victories of many teams, their resilience is often overlooked. For Zhou, coaching two teams simultaneously was an “exhilarating, exhausting, and occasionally frustrating experience”.
“The exhaustion set in after the first round, where team one suffered a 0-3 defeat” Zhou said.
Despite the early defeat, this setback provided the opportunity for players to alleviate the pressure, allowing them to focus on enjoying the game. With this shift in mindset, Zhou’s team went on to win the next three rounds, with scores of 2-1.
Enduring the rigorous competition throughout the two days, Zhou said he recommends the AGHS tournaments to all players nationwide.