Mikes joins FlyQuest as head coach for the 2027 season

FlyQuest has already decided who will lead its coaching staff next season. Michael “Mikes” Hockom, former head coach of NRG, will become the organization’s new captain for the 2027 season, announced the team on Wednesday. Known for his experience in the North American VALORANT scene, the coach has worked with some of the region’s biggest organizations and will now be tasked with leading a new project.

Mikes began his coaching career with Team Envy in 2021, when he joined the organization’s coaching staff. During his time with Envy, the coach competed at Masters Berlin 2021. The team, which featured the roster that would later become OpTic Gaming in 2022, reached the tournament’s grand final before losing to Gambit.

His work caught the attention of the North American scene and paved the way for a move to 100 Thieves, where he remained on the staff from early 2022 until the end of 2024. During his time with 100 Thieves, Mikes held different roles within the organization. Initially serving as an assistant coach, he contributed to the team’s development and strategic preparation alongside the coaching staff. In that position, he participated in Champions 2022, where the team was eliminated in the group stage.

Later, he took over as head coach, competing during the early stages of the VCT Americas franchise era. Internationally, 100 Thieves played at LOCK//IN in early 2023, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Fnatic in the quarterfinals. More recently, Mikes took charge of NRG, where he worked during the first half of the 2025 season. With the organization, he was unable to qualify for any international tournaments.

Now, Mikes begins a new chapter in his career by taking over FlyQuest. The organization is looking to strengthen its project for 2027 and is betting on the coach’s experience to guide the team through a competitive season, marked by the end of the franchise era as we know it.

FlyQuest continues to work toward establishing itself among North America’s top VALORANT organizations. In 2026, the team competed in Valorant Challengers NA, finishing second-to-last in the group stage and securing only one victory during the Stage 3

Mikes will replace the current FlyQuest head coach, Matthew “slow” Amuah, who led the team since June in 2026 season. During his tenure, FlyQuest struggled to find consistency, although the team reached the lower bracket semifinals of Stage 2 in the VALORANT Challengers NA 2026.