Seasons come and go, but the story remains the same for Team Secret, one of the few organizations in the
VALORANT Champions Tour that has yet to qualify for an international LAN event, whether it be Masters or Champions. The similarities between seasons run so deep that after stepping away from competition in May 2025 following Stage 1, Jessie Cristy "
JessieVash" Cuyco is expected to do the same again this year, sources tell
Sheep Esports. Just like last season, the Filipino leader will therefore not compete in
VCT Pacific Stage 2.
Having joined VALORANT at the game's launch, JessieVash has become one of the most recognizable figures in Southeast Asia, notably qualifying for Champions 2021 — before the current VCT system — where he reached the quarterfinals with Team Secret. The relationship between the player and the organization remains strong in 2026 after more than five competitive seasons together. However, since that World Championship appearance, he has been unable to replicate that success, with only one international appearance alongside every other VCT teams at São Paulo in 2023 during the launch of the current format, and nothing since.
Team Secret is struggling in VALORANT
Back in 2025, JessieVash already took a competitive break after winning just one series between Kickoff and Stage 1. In a video published on the organization's
X account, he explained that he was stepping away "
to recharge," saying he felt "
exhausted from the negative feedback from the community." Those feelings led him to "
step out to not affect the team," while expressing hope that he would eventually return, assuring fans at the time: "
Don't worry, I'm still playing VALORANT and around, not retiring."
As a result, at the start of 2026, with JessieVash approaching his 36th birthday, a complete anomaly in today's esports ecosystem where retirements often come before the age of 30, he returned to competition, once again serving as the team's In-Game Leader. Unfortunately for the oldest VCT players and his teammates, the new season began much like the previous ones, with three losses in three Kickoff matches against Nongshim RedForce, DetonatioN FocusMe, and ZETA DIVISION. Stage 1 was not much kinder to the Filipino organization, as Team Secret managed only a single victory against GEN.G Esports alongside four defeats, falling short of a playoff qualification.
It appears that this is the moment JessieVash has chosen to once again step away from competition for the second time, leaving Team Secret in search of a new leader ahead of VCT Pacific Stage 2.
