Athlete

The Silent Strategist: Coach Sn4p is the Low-key Genius of Smart Omega

Allec Alvarado, aka Coach Sn4p, rarely gives interviews or speaks on stage. The low-key coach prefers to avoid the spotlight, focusing on supporting his team while making things happen from a less visible position. Coach Sn4p is the chief analyst of Smart Omega, and is also the main drafter for their MPL team. But more than being the mastermind behind some of Smart Omega’s most impressive drafts, he has also taken on the task of setting a good example for the team in terms of their lifestyles. But the silent strategist’s most potent weapon is his deep well of wisdom. 

Sn4p has inspired the boys of Smart Omega to live healthier lives by working out and having wholesome bonding sessions over board games. 

“Honestly, I was only working out for my self-development, but it caused a domino effect among the players. They saw the changes in my body and my routine. My usuals are push-pull for legs, and then there’s jogging for cardio. I work out five days a week,” Coach Sn4p told ALL-STAR

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How Coach Sn4p Fosters a Bond Among the Players

When the boys are not playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, they usually bond over Coach Sn4p’s board games.  

According to Coach Sn4p, the board games help the players enhance different aspects of their thinking skills, helping them to think outside of the box. “I feel like they can transpose that to the game itself,” said Sn4p. 

The board games are not just for mental exercises; they also create a strong bond and chemistry among Smart Omega’s new roster. 

“I was scrolling through Shopee and I decided to buy 10 board games! We used to play Coup in my previous team, Alpha Esports, and in Onic we played Avalon. I decided to put them all together and now we play them in Omega,” Sn4p said. 

Some of the board games they play in the boot camp are Coup, One Night Ultimate Werewolf, Avalon, and Connect Four. But these are not just board games but a crucible. 

Coach Sn4p
Coach Sn4p’s Board Games. Photo: Mario Alvaro Limos

“It’s through bonding that relationships are forged, allowing us to understand each other’s perspectives both on and off the field. This mutual understanding fosters trust among us,” said Coach Sn4p. 

Apart from workouts and board games, Coach Sn4p firmly believes that a strong team with good chemistry is founded on coaches having a lot of patience, listening and communicating, being role models, and spending quality time together. But Coach Sn4p shines brightest with his sincerity and honesty. 

“I have always been an honest and very straightforward person whenever it comes to a team meeting. Not everyone has the guts to express their emotions, they would rather bottle it up and act like they are okay when they are truly not,” Coach Sn4p told ALL-STAR

Coach Sn4p
Coach Sn4p with Smart Omega. Photo: Mario Alvaro Limos

“There would always be conflicts in a team. It just depends on how the management and players solve it together. I experienced all the negative things before in my previous organization, such as not getting my prize money, salary, and even being taken advantage of as a player. Now being a coach since we are living together 24/7 in a bootcamp, I treat my players like they are my children, not wanting them to experience the negative things I’ve experienced before,” said Coach Sn4p. 

“I’ve learned to let go of people who do not have the championship mindset.”

“I’ve learned to let go of people who do not have the championship mindset,” said Sn4p. 

“And people who can’t keep up with my work ethic when it comes to their passion,” he added. “I also learned to always be open to criticism as it can speed up your improvement.” 

But the most valuable lesson Coach Sn4p picked up from his first coaching stint in Smart Omega in Season 13 was from repeated failure. 

“Most importantly, winning and losing share one essential element: pride,” said Coach Sn4p. But the wise coach says that how you handle that pride is what really matters. 

“Winning validates what you already know, but it’s the constant losing that truly shapes your understanding. Throughout my first coaching run in the MPL Season 13, I learned that success is born from the lessons only failure can teach,” said Sn4p. 

Coach Sn4p
Photo: Mario Alvaro Limos