Following the International Wildcard Qualifier, we, the Chiefs, took second place in the Turkish half of the event. We’d narrowly missed out on qualifying for the World Championships, essentially a dream for nearly every professional or aspiring-professional alike. We went 2–0 against BKT in the group stage, and held a deserved sense of confidence going into the final. As has very much become history now, we lost 1–3 in the best of five, and BKT performed far better than us on the day. They earned their trip to Worlds. They were the better team.
Fast forward a couple of months, the International Wildcard All-star rosters were invited to Melbourne, where Oceania’s representatives placed last, having gone 1–5.
We were labelled the worst region in the entire world.
If I’ve held your attention through our recent history as a region, I want to now extrapolate those results to some issues that seem to pop up every few weeks in Oceania, but more recently after I mentioned the “C” word a day or so ago. After Turkey, I was personally attacked and berated for our performance at IWCQ. I was told I didn’t deserve my position, and that I let the region down. I expect the players receive that ten-fold. This isn’t a sob story, and thankfully my resilient skin didn’t allow those comments to impact me. But, it does raise some interesting questions.
What is the current status of coaching within Oceania?
And I suppose the answer is not clear. Currently, the eight OPL teams, from what I’m aware of, are not accompanied by eight different coaches to match. They certainly don’t have a team of analysts behind them, either. This could be changing, and announcements are in the pipeline, but then it raises the question of why haven’t these positions been filled months ago? Why is there not a line of coaches and analysts grinding hours with Challenger teams, looking to fill these positions? Why is there not extensive and numerous attempts at networking? Why is there not competition to fill these roles? Why is there no hub of competent and willing coaches and analysts in Oceania?
Is it because there isn’t incentive? Oceania pails in comparison to the other region—unsurprisingly. I’ve spoken on this previously, but it’s important to reiterate: there is a lack of stable and competitive compensation in Oceania. This goes for players, too. Almost every team is reliant on Riot Oceania’s salaries, rather than paying their own. Some teams have the added benefit of sponsor peripherals, and some gear to attract players. But, it is not the norm for players to contracted to receive a strict or lucrative salary. If players are struggling to get recompense, what hope do coaches have?
With this being true, I don’t think it’s actually an adequate excuse. I was very open that throughout the 2015 Season, I worked with both Dire Wolves and Chiefs on a volunteer basis. I volunteered for multiple different NACS-level teams on the side, too, and was even lucky to do some brief things with Team 8 as well. I spent five nights a week, around four hours each night strictly with OCE teams, and then as many hours throughout the day as I could spare. I juggled this with other commitments, such as a part-time job in the earlier portion of the year, and full-time university throughout. On top of that, I watched nearly every LCK set, around 70% of the LPL sets, and pretended to care about NA and EU LCS. I continued to watch a few hours of NA and Korean solo queue every week, just to keep up with players and see how the different regions are playing. I watch anyone and everyone’s VOD reviews; a great deal of author’s who’ll write analytical pieces, and basically anything I can get my paws on. Of course, this comes across as me trying to sell myself highly or act as though I’m some workhorse. In fact, I’ve just modelled off the NA coaches who’ve helped and mentored me. From what I’m aware of, none of that is more than ordinary. Or it shouldn’t be.
I’ve seen comments from aspiring ‘coaches’ or ‘analysts’ who label themselves as LCS calibre — or OPL — without having coached a team for longer than a month. I watched 11 minutes of that video between LS and an aspiring ‘coach’ from Oceania (and followed up with his own video to learn more about him) and was left in bewilderment.
Our region doesn’t have good coaches. Oceania does not have adequate staffing. Through entitlement or naivety, I’m not sure. Yet the issue is that everyone believes they are good, or they are ready.
There is currently only one other coach in Oceania who I’ll look to for insight or seek the opinion of. That’s a sad truth. This isn’t a comment on my pretentiousness or elitism; I truly don’t think there are notable names in our scene.
And it frustrates me. It frustrates me that I receive a comment from a coach who’s worked with a total of one team for less than a month that I’m “undeserving” of my position, that “they would be better” or whatever. Despite popular belief, I actually would love to see the development of Oceanic coaches and analysts. I would like to see teams develop their work ethic, and improve their team’s culture. I would like to see new and innovative strategies, and different scouting or picks to approach something.
An interesting (and potentially controversial) topic is Minkywhale. I’m confident he can be a solid coach, because from what I know of his personality. He will develop into someone who’s able to lead discussion and solve issues, schedule and structure practice. What scares me, however, is that the immediate decision by Legacy was to use an ex-player — rather than someone who has coached a handful of other teams and coming into their own. Maybe I’m wrong; maybe there was an elaborate trial phase where he was chosen as the best candidate, but my better nature leads me to believe that isn’t the case. The second placed team, who were the only team to take a game from the Chiefs in the second split, weren’t barraged with a handful of fantastic candidates to be their coach? Or didn’t have the faith in the rest of Oceania’s pool to find someone with merit?
I hope we’re not far off. I hope there are coaches who are becoming more stable, and people who will lead Oceania in 2016. I believe we have a playerbase dedicated and intelligent enough to create robust and dynamic player-coach relationships, and it pains me to see we’re not there yet.
The Chiefs are currently looking to recruit an analyst. While we listed we want someone to aid our squad in the new season, I want someone who will probably end up as our opposition. I want to find a brilliant, young mind who can become the next “big thing”. Maybe through some of my help, maybe their own hard work.
I don’t want Oceania to send another team or coach overseas, and for them to called worthless and undeserving. I want us to be the best we can be.
Maybe my opinion will be received as cocky or unwarranted. Maybe I was lucky to get into my position, or don’t deserve to be where I am at. Honestly, I don’t know what will happen to coaches in Oceania, but I’m of the belief we’ll continue to see issues arise, and there will be an influx when Riot Oceania pays a match fee to coaches; and it won’t be pretty.
So, the next time you see someone make content (or maybe even starting writing or creating yourself!) help them. Promote them. Converse with them. Enjoy this fantastic and developing community we have.
