The San Francisco Shock have parted ways with assistant coach Hong “Agape” Cheol-yong amid playoff disappointment. After performing well in the qualifiers, the Shock’s early playoff eliminations in the May Melee and June Joust are reasons for the change. Having joined the team before this fourth season, Agape’s time with the Shock is now over.
Today we are bidding farewell to our Assistant Coach @Agape.
Our time together may have been cut short, but to us you will always be part of the Shock Family.
Thank you, Agape, for helping to bring out the best in us. pic.twitter.com/YvkhOSIJet
— San Francisco Shock (@SFShock) June 18, 2021
Agape’s past in the Overwatch League
Agape has always been a popular coach in the league due to his experience coaching LW Blue and LW Red. Both these APEX teams had success, and the London Spitfire picked him up for the inaugural Overwatch League season. After going to coach Korean Contenders team BlossoM, Agape returned to help the London Spitfire on their final playoff push. That push went all the way to the grand finals, where the Spitfire won the inaugural season.
After the Spitfire retooled their roster in 2019 and rebuilt in 2020, Agape remained with the roster to try and win another championship. Both seasons ended up in disappointment, however, and Agape left to assist another team. Over the 2020 offseason, Agape joined the San Francisco Shock; a team looking to win another championship. However, his start with the Shock is similar to the Spitfire’s situation for their second season. Both teams are seeking another championship despite losing key pieces of their team. So far, the Shock remains a top team in the regular season but have been upset both times before reaching the Hawaii stage.
What now for Agape?
When it comes to Agape’s future, there are multiple opportunities. If he manages to make it to North America before his release, plenty of teams could use his help. Whether teams in the Overwatch League can take him is an interesting question. Most likely, it’s back to Contenders coaching for Agape if he wishes to prove himself. This is especially true if he doesn’t make it to North America, as he would have easier access to coaching Korean Contenders as he did in the past. Either way, we’ll have to see what path Agape chooses.
