Put me in: Learning to coach and be coached in the LCS
Every great team needs a great coach. And with coaches having a bigger and bigger influence over the LCS scene, the newly coached have been learning the joys of having a watchful eye over them.
The effect that coaches have on their players varies depending on both the student and the teacher. For new players in the LCS like Jonas "Trashy" Anderson, having a coach so involved in the day to day is a strange and novel experience. While a Veteran like Johnny "Altec" Ru has to adjust to a new coach like his former fellow pro David "Cop" Roberson. Meanwhile Chad "HISTORY TEACHER" Smeltz comes from a different angle -- a teacher and coach in traditional sports that decided to take his knowledge to the Rift.
Gaining credibility
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With many players coming from Solo Queue, or past teams where they hadn't been coached much, it can be difficult for them to accept the authority of a coach.
For Gravity AD carry Altec, having past professional experience feels critical for having an understanding of the competitive environment. "I want someone that can actually understand how a team works. How everyone can contribute and work as a team, rather than just a Solo Queue player that is saying they know how to teach you how to play the game."
He says that his respect for coach Cop comes from the former AD carry's experience as a successful pro player. "There are some coaches where, at least as I see it, I don't know if I'd really respect them. For example, [there could be an] ex pro player that played before, but weren't doing as hot. If they went into coaching, I don't know if I'd respect them as much. Cop and I have been good friends for a while, so for me to accept whatever he says is really easy."
"I do think having outside coaching experience would be really helpful, though," he concedes.
Outside experience
Team 8 coach HISTORY TEACHER is doing his best to be just that guy. After years of playing Solo Queue, teaching, and coaching traditional sports, he made the jump to coaching an LCS team. "I tried to bring some of the stuff that I had from [coaching volleyball], some of the stuff that I learned from teaching, and some of my own personality and mashed it together for coaching [an LCS team]," he says.
The resulting style has become what HISTORY TEACHER calls "dad-like." He makes jokes, repeats advice, and generally becomes a joking nuisance to keep his team in line. "The team gets frustrated with me because I say the same things over and over again," he explains. "They hate it, it's obnoxious, but I don't care."
Once he's established that level of authority, it's time to make sure the team atmosphere is where it needs to be.
Party up
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According to everyone we talked to, maintaining the right team culture is the most important thing a coach can do. Says NME jungler Trashy, "For us, [Head Coach Bradley "Lazy" Marx] is not a high authority person. He's more like a friend. In general, he just brings a good spirit for the team and makes sure everyone is on point with what we want to do in game."
For NME, that mentality seems to be working. They're the most successful of the NA LCS newcomers, and show improvement every week. He says that positive mentality will allow them to improve even further. "I remember actually a quote from my manager last week, where he said after we lost the two games," he says. "He told me that he thinks for the next weeks, we should try to focus on having more fun."
And if they're having fun, they're more likely to coordinate and work more as a team. Coaches are key to making sure that no one's bad attitudes can bring them down. Says Altec, "Each player has their own mindset, their own egos. Coaches can tone it down. They can bring everyone together on the same page and figure out how to win the game as five."
Getting serious
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Of course, professional League of Legends isn't all fun and games.
HISTORY TEACHER believes that the best way to improve is to keep a regular schedule for his players. "Consistency is a big one," he says. "It's planning to do something and following through with it and making it happen no matter what. "
He says that he makes sure his players commit to coming to one-on-one meetings, team meetings, a regular wake up time, and daily physical exercise. It may not seem like much in the short term, but he believes that the level of consistency will lead to great things in the future.
As the new coach of Team 8, a squad that loves its wacky picks, HISTORY TEACHER has had to learn to tone down CaliTrlolz and company. "I'm a little more stringent with how to make the pocket pick work," he says. "If you want to play something new, fire it at me, let me know, but be ready to defend it."
And with Team 8's more meta-focused Picks and Bans phase this Split, it seems that no one has passed this TEACHER's tests. Now, it's up to both the coach and the players to figure out how to use this new, more serious methodology to find long-term success.
To find out how the coaches and players fare in the LCS, make sure to stay locked into Lolesports.
Lee Sin for Coach 2016.