Interview with [Aq]CaptCoach

CaptCoach (formerly CaptOates) is a coach for EU Champions, Aquila, The Cognitive Gaming Team. Luckily, he agreed to answer some of my questions.

- Hi Capt, thanks for giving us some of your time. How are you, and how excited are you to be going to the SWC in January?

CaptCoach: I'm doing amazing man. I am extremely excited to be going to SWC in January. It feels like a dream come true, and I would have never expected to be doing what we're doing right now.

- How did you get into Smite and Coaching an ESports team?

CaptCoach: I got into Smite because I used to play Global Agenda a longtime ago. I got a free closed beta key (which I activated right after Bakasura's release), and started playing the game thinking it was an MMORPG. I never knew I would fall in love with this mysterious game which was actually a MOBA!
The coaching is a whole different story. Basically what it boils down to is that I had known Zindurn (the former leader of Agilitas) and Kobrokai (now known as Ataraxia) for quite a long time and we regularly chatted on skype. After them getting first place in the Hirez tourneys, which would then soon become the SPL, I jokingly started saying I would coach them if Bjunken wasn't already coaching them. Turned out Bjunken had only coached them for one day, and they actually were considering asking me to become their coach. After lots of consideration and talking to loads of people about the offer I decided to take them up on it.

- As a coach for Aquila, what do you actually do for the team?

CaptCoach: As it is right now, my role is actually changing up a little bit.. This is also why Omgimabird has joined the team. Bird has more in-game knowledge than me so to make sure that the team will become better as individual players Bird will be analyzing and coaching the team gameplay-wise. What I will mainly be doing is help the team with setting goals for themselves, planning out how we will achieve those, and making sure that everyone stays focused on getting where we need to be. Aside from that I also stay in touch with all outside parties like our sponsor (Cognitive Gaming), Hirez, and media to name a few.




- What do you think are the biggest differences between EU and NA in playstyle/meta?

CaptCoach: Honestly, I think the difference between the EU and NA playstyle/meta are way smaller then most people think they are. They differ as in that I feel that EU is getting more and more aggressive in terms of team fighting, where as NA looks to get a couple of picks of through ganks and extend their lead through being better at farming. Whether this is still true will remain to be seen until after the NA Regional.

- Who are you most excited to meet in Atlanta outside of your own teammates?

CaptCoach: I am most excited to meet David Fry II, the founder of Cognitive Gaming. He has been a great help to me personally, as well as to the team. Regarding players I would have to say BaRRaCCuDDa, Andinster, and Lassiz. I have mad respect for BaRRaCCuDDA and Andinster as I have been in touch with both quite a bit, and they are amazing players. I would love to meet Lassiz as he is the guy that actually got me into the competitive Smite scene, and made me believe that anything was possible. Coaching wise I would have to say Anatoliy. Anatoliy made the first educational set of videos in regards to Smite, and those supplied me with the basis of knowledge that I have right now.

- What match up do you hope to see in the SWC?

CaptCoach: hope to see us duke it out with either COG Red or COG Prime. It would be fun to see how we would match up to them! Especially since people believe they are better than us. It's time for us to break out of these shadows and show the world what we are really made of!

- What do you think lead your team to such a great performance in Cologne?

CaptCoach: I think it was the work that all of us had put in together from the point we started in the Challenger Cup until the day that the EU Regionals started. We worked our butts of and I like to think that part of it was through my coaching. On top of that, I worked very closely with all of the guys, especially Ataraxia. He finally became the full-fledged captain that I needed him to be and he has now earned the title of "Footsteps". If you're wondering where that name comes from I would have to recommend that you watch The Replacements, an American Football movie from way back in 2000, which starred Keanu Reeves.

CaptCoach: I'd like to give a shout out to David Fry II for having faith in us even when we were just a Challenger Cup team, all the fans who make it possible for us to make a career out of Smite, Firefirst in particular who's been supporting us ever since the early days of Agilitas, and last but definitely not least: my girlfriend for always being there when I needed her and supporting me when I went through some rough times with the team (even though she doesn't fully comprehend what Smite is).

Thanks to CaptCoach for taking time to make this interview and good luck to Aquila in the Smite World Championship that will take place in Atlanta, in January 2015