EPIC34: Tom Roderick (DAY 2)

So first of all, the two teams competing for your organisation are your academy teams, can you tell me a little bit more about the selection process for these?

Yeah sure, so for us we had a pretty rigorous selection process, we had quite a lot of interest and still get a lot of interest in the academy process. So for us, the guys we selected, we formed them into 4 teams and they played in an in-house competition where we looked at not just their technical capability, to just get in they had to have good fundamentals just to get in they all had to rank incredibly highly. Then we just went through a selection process looking at their character, their quality of comms, whether or not they could form a team, so a lot of soft stuff and it’s not just about their fundamentals it’s about whether or not they were good people as well.

Yeah, it sounds intense. They came into yesterday seeded 3rd and 6th, what were your expectations of them coming into this event?

I just want them to have fun. 100% this wasn’t about performance. This was for the guys to get closer as a group, this is the first time they’ve met, the first time I’ve met them as well in person. It’s about forming those human connections as well as connections on the server. It’s about having experience playing at a LAN because we’re grooming these guys to compete at the highest level, we want them to go on to Masters and represent our club in the biggest possible way. This is a perfect event, really good in terms of the intensity, in terms of a whole different climate than what you get playing on the server so it’s an ideal experience for the guys.

Yeah definitely, the next question, and you kind of touched on it, what’s it like finally being able to be back at LAN again and meet everyone that you’ve probably been talking to online for so long now?

It’s amazing. It’s my first ever LAN so yesterday when I walked in I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I have to say I was blown away, genuinely blown away it was really really good fun. There was a real good atmosphere, quite electric actually when we walked in, almost gladiatorial. It was pretty intense, someone was shouting at someone else across the room and I was like “oh my goodness is this what LAN’s are about”. Personally, I’ve been to large sporting events etcetera, and you kind of almost replicate that in a very small way but the energy levels are insane.

It’s fun for sure I love it when they’re standing up and shouting across the room.

Oh yeah absolutely, for sure.

Final question, you had control over VALORANT for a day and you could buff or nerf any agent, what’s the go-to?

Oooo I play Brimstone and I’m very bad at Brimstone as well. All boomers and everyone starts on Brim I’m sure. I play Brim very badly but I’d like to give him a buff somehow, I don’t know how but I’d like to give him much better abilities, perhaps have his ult be bigger I don’t know. Definitely like to buff him because I feel like I have a relationship with him.

I couldn’t agree more to be honest, I love Brimstone too. It’s been a pleasure to have you thank you very much for your time.

You’re very welcome.