SuperGirlKels: Difference between revisions

| image = SuperGirlKels at Collision 2019 (portrait crop2021) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Medeiros in 20192021

| birth_date = {{birth yeardate and age|1995|5|20}}

'''Kelsy Medeiros''' (born May 20, 1995), known professionally as '''SuperGirlKels''', is a Canadian professional ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' player. Medeiros's competitive gaming career spanned from 2014 until her retirement in 2023, during which she competed in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' tournaments using the character [[Sonic the Hedgehog (character)|Sonic the Hedgehog]].

== Early lifeBiography ==

Kelsy Medeiros was introducedborn toon videoMay games20, at1995.<ref name="Official DOB" /> From a young age, and oftenMedeiros played video games like ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 video game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' orand ''[[Super Smash Bros. (video game)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' with her family.<ref name="ESPN 2016">{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Sam |title=Smash 4's SuperGirlKels: 'I had a goal to be one of the best Sonics'|url=https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/16791870/had-goal-one-best-sonics |access-date=October 23, 2021 |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=July 5, 2016}}</ref>{{r|This is esports|p=[{{Google books|3IXUDwAAQBAJ|page=196|plainurl=yes}} 196]}} When she was 16 years old, Medeirosshe was inspireddecided to tryattend outthe [[Super Smash Bros. in esports|professional ''Super Smash Bros.'' competitiontournament]] and attended the tournament [[Apex 2012]] onwhile aher family was taking a vacation in the[[New UnitedYork States(state)|New York]]. As she was too young to travel to and compete in tournaments, she spent the nextfollowing three years training with others through the game's online [[multiplayer]] services.<ref name="ESPN 2016" />{{r|This is esports|p=[{{Google books|3IXUDwAAQBAJ|page=197|plainurl=yes}} 197]}}<ref name="RedBull 2017">{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Wynton |title=SuperGirlKels lights the way in Smash 4 |url=https://www.redbull.com/ca-en/blazing-trails-with-supergirlkels |access-date=October 23, 2021 |publisher=[[Red Bull]] |date=July 26, 2017}}</ref>

Medeiros formally began competing in tournaments in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rabinovitch |first1=David |title=Here's 6 Canadians destined to shake up esports in 2018 |url=https://www.redbull.com/ca-en/6-canadian-esports-underdogs-2018 |access-date=October 23, 2021 |publisher=[[Red Bull]] |date=January 23, 2018}}</ref> Competing atin the ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' event at [[Apex 2015]], she placed within the top 64 of competitors.<ref name="RedBull 2017" /> Returning to the same event at [[Apex 2016]], she defeated top professional Jason "[[Mew2King]]" Zimmerman in an [[Upset (competition)|upset]] victory and ultimately placed in 5th.<ref name="ESPN 2016" /><ref name="Meta 2016">{{cite magazine |last1=Groot |first1=Justin |title=SuperGirlKels is playing Smash 4 at the speed of sound |url=https://killscreen.com/themeta/supergirlkels-smash-speed-of-sound/ |access-date=October 23, 2021 |magazine=The Meta |date=July 17, 2016}}</ref> Later that year, she won the ''Super Smash Bros.'' event held at [[Lan ETS]]<ref name="Radio-Canada 2017">{{cite news |last1=Villeneuve |first1=Alix |title=Une étoile montante de Super Smash Bros. à Montréal |trans-title=A rising star of Super Smash Bros. in Montreal |url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1016641/super-smash-bros-kelsy-medeiros-lan-ets |access-date=October 24, 2021 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|Société Radio-Canada]] |date=February 14, 2017 |language=fr-CA}}</ref> and placed 33rd at [[Super Smash Con]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shaw |first1=Marc |title=There's A Rising Star in Canada's Competitive Smash Bros. Scene |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/xdmyzw/kelsy-supergirlkels-medeiros-competitive-smash-bros-canada |access-date=October 23, 2021 |work=[[Waypoint (website)|Waypoint]] |publisher=[[Vice Media]] |date=August 25, 2016}}</ref>

In 2017, shesaw placedMedeiros place 2nd at Lan ETS,<ref name="Radio-Canada 2017" /> 5th at Royal Flush,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Quénoi |first1=Alban |title=L'UdeM et SuperGirlKels s'illustrent cette fin de semaine |trans-title= |url=https://www.rds.ca/esports/l-udem-et-supergirlkels-s-illustrent-cette-fin-de-semaine-1.4508164 |access-date=October 24, 2021 |publisher=[[Réseau des sports]] |date=May 16, 2017 |language=fr-CA}}</ref> 65th at [[Evo 2017]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Quénoi |first1=Alban |title=Le marathon estival a commencé dans le monde du sport électronique (eSport) |trans-title=The summer marathon has started in the world of electronic sports (eSports) |url=https://www.rds.ca/esports/le-marathon-estival-a-commence-dans-le-monde-du-sport-electronique-esport-1.4581668 |access-date=October 24, 2021 |publisher=[[Réseau des sports]] |date=July 21, 2017 |language=fr-CA}}</ref> and 7th at [[DreamHack]] Montreal.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Quénoi |first1=Alban |title=DreamHack Montréal : du très haut niveau |url=https://www.rds.ca/esports/dreamhack-montreal-du-tres-haut-niveau-1.5715016 |access-date=October 24, 2021 |publisher=[[Réseau des sports]] |date=September 13, 2017 |language=fr-CA}}</ref> In 2018, she took 1st place at Lan ETS<ref>{{cite news |last1=Quénoi |first1=Alban |title=Lan ETS 2018 : les bons et les mauvais coups |trans-title=Lan ETS 2018: the good and the bad |url=https://www.rds.ca/esports/lan-ets-2018-les-bons-et-les-mauvais-coups-1.5951144 |access-date=October 24, 2021 |publisher=[[Réseau des sports]] |date=February 14, 2018 |language=fr-CA}}</ref> and placed 5th at DreamHack Montreal.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Quénoi |first1=Alban |title=La DreamHack Montréal sur le toit du monde esports |url=https://jeuxvideo.rds.ca/la-dreamhack-montreal-sur-le-toit-du-monde-esports/ |access-date=October 24, 2021 |work=[[Réseau des sports|RDS]] Jeux vidéo |date=September 13, 2018 |language=fr-CA}}</ref> 2018 [[power rankings]] presented by esports team [[Panda Global]] ranked Medeiros as the 100th best ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' player of all time.{{efn|The Panda Global Rankings are peer-administered [[power rankings]] of ''Super Smash Bros.'' players generally respected by the competitive gaming community.{{r|PGR explanation}}}} ranked Medeiros as the 100th best ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' player of all time.{{r|This is esports|p=[{{Google books|3IXUDwAAQBAJ|page=197|plainurl=yes}} 197]}}<ref>{{cite tweet |number=1069763675043573760 |author=PGstats.com |user=pgstats |title=Congratulations to these twenty-five Smash Wii U competitors who made it onto the #PGR100 All Time! With 76-100 unveiled, who do you expect to see in the top 75? |access-date=October 23, 2021 |date=December 3, 2018}}</ref>

Medeiros signed with esports team Iceberg Competitive Esports in February 2018. After the organization dissolved later that year, Medeiros told [[CBC News]] in 2019 that it had failed to fulfill the terms of her contract, including salary payments.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carter |first1=Adam |title=Man behind Toronto WNBA bid still owes money from failed esports venture |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/wnba-toronto-esports-1.5212388 |access-date=October 23, 2021 |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=July 15, 2019 |location=[[Toronto]]}}</ref> In 2019, Medeiros provided [[Sports commentator|match commentary]] for [[Nintendo]]'s ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' World Championship.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tate |first1=Dylan |title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate World Championship commentary lineup set |url=https://www.upcomer.com/super-smash-bros-ultimate-world-championship-commentary-lineup-set/ |access-date=October 22, 2021 |work=Upcomer |date=May 22, 2019}}</ref> At the tournament Frostbite 2020, she placed 97th individually and teamed with her brother to place 13th in the doubles event.<ref name="Frostbite 2020">{{cite news |last1=Nolet |first1=Fred |title=Deux Québécois au Frostbite 2020 et MkLeo se rattrape pour 2019 |url=https://jeuxvideo.rds.ca/deux-quebecois-au-frostbite-2020-et-mkleo-se-rattrape-pour-2019/ |access-date=October 24, 2021 |work=[[Réseau des sports|RDS]] Jeux vidéo |date=February 26, 2020 |language=fr-CA}}</ref> When morea than 90 allegationswave of sexual abuse allegations emerged in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' competitive community emerged in July 2020, Medeiros spoke to [[CBC News]] on the need for greater awareness of the issue of sexual abuse within the community.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Weaver |first1=Jackson |title=How one video game community is trying to 'police itself' amid sexual assault allegations |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/super-smash-allegations-1.5640449 |access-date=October 23, 2021 |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=July 9, 2020}}</ref> Medeiros announced her retirement from ''Super Smash Bros.'' competition in 2023.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=SuperGirlKels |number=1659752839537893376 |title=I am officially retiring from professional Super Smash Bros. esports. 2012-2023. Please Listen 💙 I love you forever Smash Bros. Thank You. |date=May 19, 2023 |access-date=May 20, 2023}}</ref>

Medeiros has primarily competed in ''Super Smash Bros.'' tournaments using the character [[Sonic the Hedgehog (character)|Sonic the Hedgehog]], a blue [[anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] [[hedgehog]] that is [[title character]] of the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' video game series.<ref name="ESPN 2016" /><ref name="Meta 2016" /> On her style of play, aA profile by esports publication ''The Meta'' described her play style as "always on the attack, probing her opponent's defenses and lunging for the [[carotid]] the moment she detects an opening." Medeiros said her biggest inspiration iscited professional ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' competitor Jeffrey "[[Axe (gamer)|Axe]]" Williamson, who plays the game with a similar "in-your-face" style, as an inspiration.<ref name="Meta 2016" />

<ref name="PGR explanation">{{cite news |last1=Van Allen |first1=Eric |title=The Competitive Smash 4 Scene Is Anxiously Awaiting Nintendo's Next Big Move |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2018/01/the-competitivesmash-4-scene-is-anxiously-awaiting-nintendos-next-big-move/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403161528/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2018/01/the-competitivesmash-4-scene-is-anxiously-awaiting-nintendos-next-big-move/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 3, 2018 |access-date=October 24, 2021 |work=[[Kotaku Australia]] |date=January 21, 2018 |language=en-AU}}</ref>