The ReX-Files: The Episode where Rex talks about producing the CyberHerd documentary
More than a competition story, The Making of a Defender shows how solving the nation’s cybersecurity challenges is becoming a pillar of the Tampa Bay community and beyond. As CyberBay grows, this story becomes one of its cornerstones.
In anyone’s professional career, there are only a handful of opportunities to truly elevate people in a lasting way. I’m not talking about the small but powerful kindnesses we practice daily—thank you, Mister Rogers, for teaching us that. I mean something bigger, something rare, where the timing, circumstances, and people all align. Last year, I was given that kind of opportunity.
Just over a year ago, I noticed that the USF CyberHerd (Ya Herd!—they know what I mean) was quietly making big waves in cybersecurity competitions. Despite sharing a home with them at USF, I hadn’t followed them closely. If anything, I was more familiar with their long-dominant Orlando rivals, Hack UCF. But as I dug in, I discovered that the CyberHerd wasn’t just competing with them—they were winning.
That’s when I thought, “Maybe there’s a story here.”
I pitched the idea to my supervisor, Kate Whitaker, and our director, Ernie Ferraresso. They believed in it, brought it to leadership, and just like that, we were greenlit.
With the talented team at Two Stories Media, I began documenting the CyberHerd’s journey for a full year—competitions, practices (so much practice), and everything in between. Anyone who has ever made a documentary knows: you don’t get to script the ending. Sometimes you land the perfect Cinderella moment, other times the pumpkin explodes and lands on your head. This story had a little of both.
What I didn’t expect, though, was how much I would learn along the way. I began to see these students not just as competitors but as something closer to elite athletes—driven, resilient, and focused. Sitting front-row, I realized my job wasn’t just to record their journey; it was to elevate it. To make sure their hard work, sacrifice, and brilliance weren’t lost in the shuffle but instead woven into USF history and the broader CyberBay movement.
The story of the 2024–25 CyberHerd now lives beyond me. It’s captured, told, and preserved as part of something much larger than any one of us. To Waseem, Jacob, Jack, Michelle, Coach Marbin, Sriram, and the rest of the CyberHerd family—thank you for letting me in.
Am I proud of this project? Strangely, no. Pride isn’t the word. What I feel instead is something deeper: gratitude. Gratitude for the chance to help tell your story. Gratitude for the friendships formed. And gratitude for the knowledge that this story will outlast us all.
Your friend in cyber competitions,
Rex Wilson
P.S. – Thank you to our friends at USF Communications and Marketing for publishing this excellent article about the CyberHerd documentary.
