How a kid from Australia took over League of Legends in North America
TLDRThis video tells the story of a determined Australian player who overcame personal and professional challenges to become a top League of Legends competitor in North America. Starting with an injury that led him to gaming, he quickly rose to rank one in his region before moving to the U.S. Despite facing obstacles like depression, anxiety, and professional setbacks, his persistence and focus on improving himself as a player and person paid off. He hopes to continue his esports journey, aiming to compete at the highest level while balancing personal ambitions.
Takeaways
- 🎯 The speaker plans to walk away from League of Legends if they don't achieve their goals by next year.
- 🛠 Discipline is highlighted as a key factor in the speaker's success, especially their ability to break down and consistently execute their gameplay in the first 10 minutes.
- 💥 Despite early struggles, the speaker climbed from bronze to rank one in Oceanic League of Legends within a year.
- 🇺🇸 The speaker moved to North America to pursue a pro career but found the region much harder than Oceania, facing challenges like playing on a laptop and unstable internet.
- 💪 Struggles with depression and anxiety were a major part of the speaker's journey, using League of Legends as an escape and ultimately overcoming toxicity to improve their game.
- 🏆 The speaker achieved multiple solo queue records, including the highest win rate to 1K LP and reaching Challenger in four roles during season 9.
- 👊 Despite setbacks in their personal life, the speaker used hardships as motivation to perform even better in their matches.
- 🎮 The speaker had impressive showings, like solo killing a world champion finalist in a scrim, which boosted their confidence and skill.
- 🚫 Despite their accomplishments, the speaker feels they still face doubt from others in the industry, which fuels their drive to prove themselves further.
- 📚 If they don’t get an offer for LCS in 2025, the speaker plans to pursue a degree at UCI while continuing to stream, though their passion remains with competitive League.
Q & A
What was the catalyst that made the player shift from sports to gaming?
-The player fractured three vertebrae after being 'chopped' during a rugby match, which left him unable to walk, run, or jump. This injury confined him indoors, where he turned to playing video games.
How did the player's competitive nature influence his progress in League of Legends?
-The player was initially placed in Bronze 4, but due to his competitive nature and determination, he managed to achieve rank one within a year.
Who played a pivotal role in coaching the player early in his League of Legends career?
-Curtis, the head coach for Dire Wolves (the best team in Oceania at the time), found the player in solo queue and took him under his wing, helping him improve from a Diamond 4 top laner to rank one.
What challenges did the player face when transitioning from the Oceania region to North America?
-In North America, the player initially struggled due to having only a laptop and unstable internet. He also found the North American region much harder than Oceania, as the playstyle he had learned didn't work in North America.
How did mental health issues affect the player’s performance?
-The player dealt with depression and anxiety, using League of Legends as an escape. These issues affected his focus, leading to a decline in his performance, especially during high-pressure moments like his win streak in Challenger.
What achievement brought the player significant attention in the League of Legends community?
-The player broke the world record for the highest win rate to Challenger ever and the highest win rate to 1,000 LP ever, which garnered significant attention from the community.
What was the player's experience scrimming against the World Finals-winning DRX team?
-The player scrimmed against DRX 12 hours before their World Finals match and was impressed by their flawless team coordination, especially how King was always in the right place, demonstrating a level of understanding and strategy the player admired.
How did the player deal with the disappointment of not being able to play in LCS in 2024?
-Although the player had a verbal agreement to play for Evil Geniuses Challengers, the organization left the league at the last minute. Despite this setback, the player viewed it as a potential blessing in disguise, believing that the time spent on FlyQuest would lead to a better debut.
What future plans does the player have if he doesn’t make it to LCS in 2025?
-If the player doesn't receive an LCS offer, he plans to attend the University of California, Irvine (UCI), complete his degree, and potentially pursue full-time streaming due to his large Twitch following.
What motivates the player to keep striving for an LCS spot despite setbacks?
-The player is motivated by a belief in his individual ability and a desire to prove that, in the North American ecosystem, exceptional performance can still earn a chance. He sees it as important not just for himself, but for others trying to rise in the competitive scene.
Outlines
🎮 The Power of Discipline and Consistency in Competitive Gaming
The speaker reflects on the importance of discipline, using the example of CI, a player who excels due to his ability to consistently execute strategies in the early stages of the game. CI's ability to stay disciplined and focused helps him break records in the game. The paragraph transitions to a brief overview of the speaker's personal journey in sports and how an injury led to their shift from physical activities to gaming, ultimately achieving rank one in Oceania. The speaker highlights the competitive drive that pushed them to prove doubters wrong and pursue professional gaming.
🏆 From Personal Struggles to Record-Breaking Achievements in Solo Queue
This section describes a period of intense personal and professional challenge for the speaker, following a breakup that drove them to focus exclusively on solo queue. During this time, the speaker managed to achieve a 92% win rate with 78 wins and 7 losses, setting a world record for the highest win rate to Challenger and 1K LP. However, personal struggles, including anxiety and depression, eventually affected their performance. Despite the challenges, the speaker managed to secure rank one on the ladder and reflects on the motivation that came from doubters and personal challenges.
📈 A Path to the LCS: Belief, Challenges, and the Future
The speaker expresses their desire to prove their individual skill by earning a spot in the LCS (League Championship Series). They are at a crossroads, deciding between continuing their professional gaming career or pursuing a degree at UCI (University of California, Irvine). Despite the uncertainty, they remain passionate about gaming, emphasizing how it has been a coping mechanism throughout their life. The speaker also acknowledges their growing Twitch fan base and contemplates full-time streaming if professional gaming doesn’t work out, though their heart remains focused on competing in the LCS.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡CI
💡Discipline
💡Rank One
💡Toxicity
💡Oceania (OCE)
💡Challenger
💡Depression and Anxiety
💡Solo Queue (SoloQ)
💡Evil Geniuses (EG)
💡LCS (League of Legends Championship Series)
Highlights
The player's strong discipline and consistent execution help him break LP records, especially within the first 10 minutes of the game.
An early sports injury led him to focus on gaming, eventually reaching Rank 1 in Oceania within a year.
He was scouted by the head coach of Dire Wolves and went from Diamond 4 to Rank 1 by the end of Season 8.
Upon moving to North America, he struggled initially, but eventually hit Challenger with a 49% win rate.
Overcame issues with depression and anxiety by focusing on improving both his gameplay and personal behavior.
Despite personal challenges, he broke records for the highest win rate to Challenger and 1K LP ever, with a 92% win rate in High Challenger.
He beat Marville, the top team in the NACL, with four new players on his roster after a major roster change.
Despite his achievements, including breaking multiple Solo Queue records, he still faces skepticism from some in the esports community.
He played scrims against DRX the night before they won World Finals, showing strong performance against one of the best teams.
Describes an insightful moment during a scrim where DRX's precise team coordination impressed him, giving him new perspectives on team play.
CI helped transform Evil Geniuses Challengers into a top team in NA, demonstrating his impact on struggling rosters.
Despite nearly signing with Evil Geniuses for 2024, the team left the league last minute, making him rethink his future in esports.
He remains driven by the belief that if you're good enough, you'll get an opportunity, holding himself to high standards in his journey to make LCS.
If he doesn’t get a chance in the LCS for 2025, he plans to finish his degree at UCI but prefers to continue in esports.
He distinguishes between ego and confidence, asserting that his achievements speak for themselves and are not driven by ego.
