A Wizard’s Path: Edwin Charriez

Washingtonville High School senior Edwin Charriez embodies excellence both inside and outside the esports arena. Driven by a passion for continuous learning, he has challenged himself throughout high school at every opportunity, whether through advanced coursework or as a dedicated competitor in the world of interscholastic gaming.

That mindset has carried over into his leadership and success with the Wizards Esports team. Edwin has held several leadership roles over the years, serving as club president and secretary as an underclassman, and now leading the team as captain since junior year. Along the way, he has become one of the most dominant esports competitors in New York State, earning the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Solos State Championship title at the Empire State Scholastics Esports Federation (ESSEF) tournament two seasons in a row. 

His success was anything but accidental.

Edwin has been playing Super Smash Bros. since he was about five years old and has logged more than 3,000 hours of gameplay, not including team practices or competition time. What began as a casual family game slowly evolved into something much more serious.

“Everybody sees it as a party game,” Edwin said. “You load it up on the family TV and everybody just plays for fun. That’s how I started – playing with my brother and my uncle.”

Everything changed one Christmas, when Edwin received a newer version of the game and began playing on his own. As his skills improved, curiosity turned into ambition.

“I started watching professional players,” he said. “I saw them on stage, with the lights, the crowd and I thought, ‘I want to do that. I want to be there.’ At first, my goal was just to beat my uncle.”

It wasn’t long before Edwin did just that.

“He doesn’t want to play with me anymore,” he laughed. 

Gone are the days when Edwin’s biggest concern was beating his uncle. Since then, he’s established himself as one of the best Smash players in the state. Edwin credits his success to his core values. 

“One of my biggest values is learning from your mistakes,” he said. “Being able to step back after something’s done and ask, ‘Where did I go wrong, and what can I do better next time?’ Learning and adaptation are probably my most highly valued traits.”

He applies that mindset far beyond esports, in academics, leadership and sportsmanship. As a team captain, Edwin sees himself not just as a competitor, but as a role model, especially in the interscholastic gaming landscape, which launched officially in 2014 at Washingtonville High School as one of the first programs in the state. 

A major turning point came during Edwin’s junior year, when he competed at a full-day interscholastic tournament at the University of Albany. Matches were spread throughout the day, the stakes were high, and Edwin was projected to place second behind another competitor.

Edwin went out of his comfort zone that day, making a deliberate effort to connect with players from other schools: watching their matches, cheering them on and offering words of encouragement.

And that approach came back to him when he needed it most. Before he knew it, those same people started to cheer for him during his final matches. 

“I wasn’t projected to win,” Edwin recalled. “I overheard people saying another guy was going to beat me. I was so nervous, but then I saw all these people cheering for me. People I had competed against and knocked out the bracket.”

“I thought, ‘I can’t let them down.’”

Edwin went on to win both the Winter Finals and Grand Finals that day. It was a moment that cemented his identity not just as a top competitor, but as a leader who valued community over individual accolades.

“I realized I wasn’t there just to compete,” he said. “I was there to make friends and make the space more welcoming for everyone.”

That same tournament also earned the Wizards Esports team the Integrity Award, recognizing sportsmanship and character.

One of the most stand out moments from that day was when someone from another school encouraged him to lift the championship belt for a photo.

“At first, I was embarrassed,” he said. “I didn’t even want to look at the camera. I closed my eyes.”

He paused.

“Now, if they took that picture again, I’d definitely be smiling and making eye contact,” he added.  

For Edwin, that shift reflects more than confidence on stage. He admits he struggled with shyness for much of his life, but through esports, and the strong social network it fostered,  he has grown into a more confident, compassionate leader.

“There was a time when I wanted to help people, but I didn’t know how, because I was still figuring things out myself,” he added. “Now, I can see people who’ve been in the same situations I’ve been in, and I want to help them. I want to carry that into my daily life, beyond the game.”

Looking ahead, Edwin is setting his sights on the medical field. He is currently applying to colleges as a biochemistry major, with interests in radiology and cancer research. That path was inspired by a close friend who battled leukemia.

“He went through chemotherapy, and he’s OK now,” Edwin said. “But there was a time when I was scared I might lose him. Knowing he’s OK makes me want to give that same sense of safety to other people.”

While his future may be rooted in science, Edwin isn’t stepping away from esports anytime soon.

This spring, he will defend his state championship title, and he plans to continue competing at the collegiate level, carrying forward the lessons that helped shape who he is today.