3. What do you find more challenging or fun: working with people or finding great insights about the game and your opponents that you can share with your team to help them succeed?
I honestly enjoy the development and growth you see over the long term. When I think about where we were as a team a year ago, and what we did at the time, it seems crazy how much we’ve changed – all for the better. I prefer working with people one-on-one, fixing issues, and improving specific areas of the game. It’s both challenging and fun, as nothing is ever exactly the same.

4. Have you ever used a coach yourself before becoming one? If yes, how did it help you? If not, looking back at your journey, do you think it would have made things easier?
I’ve played an assortment of sports over the years, but most recently, I played water polo, where I was coached by one of the top coaches and players in the country. I learnt a lot from playing under him, and I believe it helped shape my coaching style. It also made me realise there’s more to being a coach than just creating game plans or strategies.

5. Is there a big difference between training on your own, as an aspiring pro player, and training with a professional team?
For some things, yes. Playing in a competitive team is very different compared to just a ranked stack or solo queue. In a team environment, there’s a lot of structure and systems to support improvement and development. You’re not just working solo to improve yourself – you’re also working to improve with your teammates, as a team, at the same time. That said, there’s still a lot you can work on outside of a team environment, like mechanical skill, communication, and developing your game knowledge by watching and reviewing pro matches and VODs.

6. As a coach, what would you like aspiring pro players to focus more on?
Honestly, just being a good teammate and being able to take feedback without taking it personally. A lot of players today are joining high-level teams without any experience in a team environment – not just in esports, but in jobs or other group settings. So they haven’t had a chance to learn the skills needed to succeed in a team.

7. If I wanted to join your team as an aspiring pro player, how could I do that? Do you think I should contact your organisation, or wait for teams like yours to find and contact me?
Get your name out there – don’t isolate yourself or act with an ego. Most of the time, teams already have a shortlist of people they want to try, but if you know a team is looking for a player, a simple message never hurts.

8. What are the traits of a good R6 Siege player?
Good communication, a solid understanding of the game and the competitive meta (which is different from ranked), and the ability to bring ideas to the table.

9. How important is a player’s attitude when competing at the professional level?
Attitude is one of the most important things when competing at the highest level. Some players are insanely skilled, but their poor attitude affects not only themselves, but the team as well. It brings down their value and often becomes a reason not to keep working with them.

10. What do you find yourself doing more with your players after a painful defeat: therapy sessions or strategy sessions?
After every loss, we discuss where we went wrong and look at how we can improve for the next game. Most of the time, a loss motivates us even more to fix mistakes for future matches. We rarely need to do more than discuss it, but sometimes, players do take a hit to their confidence, and we’ll need to spend some one-on-one time rebuilding that.

11. How much did starting your professional career affect your motivation to do other things, like school etc.?
I joined my first pro team while I was in my first year of university and working. It was hard to find a balance at first – my studies, job, and coaching all took up so much time that I had almost no free time. It made it hard to see friends or relax, which became demotivating. Eventually, I started earning enough to quit my job and began planning my time better. That gave me some breathing room, helped me enjoy it again, and motivated me to keep going.

12. Did your family get worried when you started playing Rainbow Six Siege for more than a few hours per day, or were they supportive?
At first, when they saw how much time I was putting in, they were a bit worried – they’d never heard of esports or realised you could earn income and win money through gaming. They were concerned, but as long as it didn’t affect my studies and I could support myself, they didn’t mind too much. Once I started making a consistent income, they realised it was legitimate. Now, they love watching the games and always ask what’s going on with the team.