Dear Agony,
On behalf of Onward Gaming, I wanted to reach out to you to request your participation in a Q&A feature that we are publishing on our discord server.
We would be grateful if you could take some time to answer a few questions that will provide some insight into your experiences as a manager and your thoughts on the competitive gaming world.
Questions:
- Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you first got involved in managing a competitive gaming team?
“I was a competitive player for Dominators when OnePunch invited me in Feb. 2022 to please manage the Dominators Esports Africa team so I accepted the offer. When DOM fall apart I decided to leave the comp scene to be focused on building a professional team – RAZE- eSports.”
- What are some of the challenges you have faced in managing RAZE E-sports, and how have you overcome them?
“The biggest challenge I had to face was Availability and Mental stability of the players. In order to overcome this problem we created a competitive environment within the clan that motivates the players to compete in a healthy way amongst themselves, in order to get a spot on the team, making them become more available. This also make for a larger pool of players to choose from and gives everyone the opportunity and freedom to step down or take a break form playing when their mental health starts to decline or when they just need a break.”
- What do you believe sets RAZE E-sports apart from other teams in the competitive scene?
“Raze is more then just a clan or a team. We became a family here , whenever someone is in a problem of any kind , this little family here is becoming a helping hand. Diversity across multiple African nations ( Namibia , Nigeria , Malawi , South Africa ) and high level of cooperation and compatibility amongst players and teams.”
- How do you approach team building and player development? Do you have any specific strategies or philosophies that you follow?
“We play scrims / events everyday and allow players to grow and make mistakes , try new things and not to break them down when they fail. We recruit young / new players and mix the teams up so that they can learn from the experienced competitive players.”
- Can you share any insights or advice on what it takes to be a successful manager in the competitive gaming world?
“It takes blood, sweat and tears. It takes empathy and understanding, of people and life circumstances to know that each person’s performance and the stability of the team depends on real life struggles and situations that every person goes through. It requires patience and communication from and with players in order to create and provide each person with the necessary environment and safe space in order to feel comfortable, like they belong. You have to be very hands on, playing with your players and understanding them on a individual level and play style, and then using that to structure the teams effectively and motivate them accordingly.”
- What are your goals for RAZE E-sports in the future, and how do you plan to achieve them?
“To keep growing and making both teams equal. The main goal is to find a sponsor for the team. Our second team RAZE MATRIX made me really proud in the last months , they have fire and and a lot of potential.”
- How do you stay up to date with the latest trends and developments in the competitive gaming scene?
“I try to be up to date with tournament hosts , scrim hosts and managers. I am part of the ABC management and this also helps to stay up to date with what happens in the gaming community. South Africans like WhatsApp GC , so let’s not forget the 50 WhatsApp groups of different daily scrims.”
- Congratulations on being voted the best performing manager of the year 2022! How do you feel about this recognition and what does it mean to you?
“First of all I want to say thank you to everyone who voted for me , I highly appreciate it. It means a lot to me , since one year now I put all my effort , time and power into managing and growing a bond between the players. To get something like this back is really special.”
- Do you have any words of encouragement or advice for aspiring managers who might be looking?
“Don’t give up on your team , be confident and believe in your players even if they loose or fail. Keep pushing them and be like a safe place for them.”
We would like to extend a warm thank you to Agony for taking the time to speak with us about her experiences as a manager of RAZE E-sports. Her dedication and passion for the gaming community is truly inspiring, and we are grateful for the insight she has shared with us. Agony’s approach to team building and player development, as well as her ability to overcome challenges, is a testament to her skill and determination as a manager.
We wish her and RAZE E-sports continued success in the future, and we look forward to following their journey in the competitive gaming scene. Thank you again Agony for being such a great guest.