Georg 'x2Sneeka' Siewert, one of the newest members of the FnaticMSI family was recently tracked down and asked a series of questions by Cameron 'fams' Carson. In the interview the new Halo 3 Coach for FnaticMSI.Halo3 talks about his expectations for the teams first ever MLG stop, what its like to...
Georg 'x2Sneeka' Siewert, one of the newest members of the FnaticMSI family was recently tracked down and asked a series of questions by Cameron 'fams' Carson. In the interview the new Halo 3 Coach for FnaticMSI.Halo3 talks about his expectations for the teams first ever MLG stop, what its like to be a coach in E-Sports, and much more.
If you could please start by introducing yourself to the FnaticMSI community, and tell us a little bit about what you do at FnaticMSI?
Hey, I am Georg Siewert alias x2Sneeka, 22 years old and from Germany. Currently I am doing my dual apprenticeship as an office management assistant for the company Microelectronic Packaging Dresden. I have been actively into egaming since 2004. Back then, we played Halo CE a lot on LAN with friends, 2v2 until the doom. When Halo 2 was released, I hosted my first LAN event for friends and such with 16 players attending. As I have Xbox Live (the online platform), I started playing competitively. I have been to the WCG Grand final 2008 as the Chief referee for Halo and the team manager for my team in SK Gaming. As for my work within FnaticMSI, I do take care of my team to ensure we can reach our goals together with the Fnatic family. I am taking care of tournament appearances, match arrangements, analyzing of scrims, matches, and communications.
As the Coach for the Halo3 team, how involved are you with the players practice and training regime?
The team mainly practices the game by themselves. I do not need to tell them what to do in detail but to keep them practicing. What I do though is; we talk about the scrims they have played and analyze them, watching the ingame demos. In addition, we do work on the focus and concentration before and ingame so our performance as a team gets better and steady.
How much do you feel your role within the Halo squad helps the team?
It is always better to have an extra member of the team who is there for everything regarding the team, the game and life also. We are all good friends and trust each other, not only in the game. I am working closely with my players to assist in every situation. I am sorting and assisting during the preparation before events and onsite. You know about the micro management at the events, sorting out transport, food and drinks. Basically what’s bothering the team. Therefore, it helps out, yes.
As the coach are you at all nervous when it comes to tournaments?
I am excited like a little kid before Christmas, but nervous? Only a little bit. I do enjoy the tournament atmosphere and feel the drive to perform, but I am not getting noticeably nervous. My experience and confidence into my team and myself keeps me reasonable calm, usually.
What about MLG, it seems to be the top accolade for Halo3 players, the ultimate experience and trial to prove that you can compete with the best of the world, does that make you nervous at all?
MLG is indeed the top tournament a Halo player can compete in. Only the best teams can make it at these tournaments. To compete with the world’s elite Halo teams, does make me feel a little bit nervous. As soon as we start to play, it will be gone by then. I know what my team is capable of and if we are on our A game, we do not need to be scared at all. Even though, not only the competition with the other teams but also the marathon we need to play in order to get to championship bracket gives me a lot of respect for this event. I will not take this easy.
Who do you think will be your biggest competition at the MLG event?
It might sound weird, but our biggest competition will be the amount of series we will have to play. We are competing versus 191 Teams in the open bracket. We need to get us a spot in the top 16 out of these, to progress to championship bracket. This will be insanely tough, playing and constantly performing for about 10 hours on Saturday. When it comes down to teams, Power Gaming and LowLandLions will be our European rivals to beat. Ultimately, any US top eight team we can meet in tournament play.
How much does travelling affect your players? Do you find you have to do anything extra or special to help them when traveling?
So far, we have all been fine due the travel. We have never been to the USA for a tournament before. Thanks to Anne from Fnatic, we can arrive on Wednesday so we have a spare day to get rid of the jetlag. That should help us to get ready and set for the tournament. The special thing I might be doing, is sitting right next to them, so I can hold Rasmus’s hand during starting and landing.
Do you find that there is any added pressure to perform, being a Coach? Like if your players do not do well, the blame and focus could be put onto you?
There is pressure of course. If there is any extra added for me? I think so, it is down to me to keep the team as a unit and focused. It is tough since I as the coach do see more than each player from the game, having four screens to watch. Certainly, we win and lose as a team so I cannot see me being blamed for an – unlikely – poor ingame performance.
This is your first major tournament playing for FnaticMSI, are you eager to compete or nervous at all?
I am burning to compete at this tournament. MLG Orlando as the season finale is just stunning. The management has done so much for us in the little time we are a part of FnaticMSI. As for us, we want to prove that the backing we are getting is deserved and well invested. Steelseries supplies us with their new Siberia v2’s, I cannot wait to get my hands on these and to wear them at MLG.
Leading up to an event is there any special sort of training you and your team go through?
We do more intense practice and as for this time, we are doing a bootcamp with one of the other Top3 European team, LowLandLions who are also attending Orlando, prior to the event. We do a lot of talking about the quest we have coming up, to answer any questions about the event and the surrounding. In addition to that, I am trying to fix everything I can, about my daily life so my mind is cleared and ready for Halo only. You know doing everything up to the max and no distractions.
Are there any pregame rituals you and your team indulge in before heading into a match?
Haha, I do give Daniel a quick massage of his neck and shoulders, tell him to do me the ‘victory smile’. All of us are taking a look and ‘hi5’ each other. Perhaps we are developing something extra during MLG Orlando.
Do you think coaching could help other E-Sports such as Counterstrike or QuakeLive?
I think it depends on the team or the player to be coached. If you let someone who is not actually playing in the match tell you what to do and support you by doing so, I believe it is a plus. As for Counterstrike, I can talk to my team during the entire match, where in CS you usually can only in the freeze time. Therefore, if the team wants it and it is financeable, yes it could help other E-Sports.
What in your opinion makes a good Coach?
A good coach needs to have a very good knowledge about the game he is coaching. Always thinking positive and realistic, having true confidence in his team and himself. What makes the difference, I believe, knowing when to tell your team what needs to be said and sometimes to just leave it. A player usually knows what went good or less, so you do not really need to repeat his own thoughts. Be there for your team and stay in the game just like them, get them back up after a bad match, keep them in the competition. Having a smile for the team when they need it, works wonders sometimes.
Do you see any people in other E-Sports that could make good coaches for their respective games?
Kick van Houten alias Floepsa. He knows so much about Counterstrike and how to play, but he cannot aim like the Pros. I believe he could make a really good coach since he’s been to the last two WCG Grand finals as a referee for CS and I know him in person, amazing gamer and guy. Also SammyK who would be a brilliant coach for his Call of Duty: MW2 Team. Apart from these two, I cannot really say as I focus on Halo.
Does having tournament admin experience help you with your coaching duties at all when you are onsite at an event?
Definitely, if you know how to run tournaments you get more calm since you know what to expect and ‘how an admin works’. You know how it is, stress everywhere and usually there is always something happening what can throw you off your game, delays or technical issues. It might only appeal to me but I believe if you have been an admin at major events, you talk different to admins and know what to do onsite. It supports the team because I can handle things like this and I am generally more calm then they are.
Do you take a more hands on or hands off approach when teaching and working with your players?
I believe I handle things kind of mixed. I am taking hands on if I feel it is necessary. Since our chemistry is really well we can talk about almost everything in a mature and successful way. Usually I leave my hands off. At events, I am putting a lot of focus on my own and my team’s actions, so I can react once I have the feeling it is required. So far, we have been good like it is.
Are you a more intense coach? When at an event when you are standing behind them are you screaming and yelling to get them fired up, or do you simply let them play their game?
Before matches and during the event I am usually calm and you can only imagine or see it from my face how focused I am. When we are playing, I am in the game just like my team. I am giving all I have to achieve the maximum. So yea, I can get loud and fire them up. Stefan and Rasmus are doing their leading roles really good which leaves me to the situations where they are in dire need to win. Sometimes it is just a proper wakeup call at the right time to turn the tide of the match and sometimes I need to go all in so we can save this certain game in the series.
What to you makes a strong player?
A strong player, just like other successful people in their profession, they need to know exactly what they are doing. A healthy amount of self-confidence is needed and the ability to focus entirely on the upcoming match or task. You need to have the passion for what you are doing and enjoy it then motivation and dedication should be at its right place. For me, the discipline makes a huge part of a strong player. Continue to work on yourself and your team even if it is not always going easy.
What are your goals for this MLG event?
We want to prove our worth to FnaticMSI and our fellow European scene since we are representing Europe at MLG. As for tournament goals… to play through the Open bracket within 191 other teams willing to win, that is our minimum goal. A top 16 or top 12 finish would be amazing considering the competition and finishing as the best European team of course.
Any last words for the FnaticMSI community?
We all, my team and I highly appreciate what FnaticMSI and our sponsors, MSI, SteelSeries, SLAPPA, Bigfoot Networks and UGAME are doing for us. Huge thanks to Tugsy and all the staff from Halo3forum.eu who are moving many things to help develop the console E-sports in Europe. A big shout goes to my friend Peter, who has always been there for me. In addition, yea, I am really looking forward to the body-searching officers at Amsterdam Schiphol! If you know what I mean.. Thanks for reading. Cheers.
Hey, I am Georg Siewert alias x2Sneeka, 22 years old and from Germany. Currently I am doing my dual apprenticeship as an office management assistant for the company Microelectronic Packaging Dresden. I have been actively into egaming since 2004. Back then, we played Halo CE a lot on LAN with friends, 2v2 until the doom. When Halo 2 was released, I hosted my first LAN event for friends and such with 16 players attending. As I have Xbox Live (the online platform), I started playing competitively. I have been to the WCG Grand final 2008 as the Chief referee for Halo and the team manager for my team in SK Gaming. As for my work within FnaticMSI, I do take care of my team to ensure we can reach our goals together with the Fnatic family. I am taking care of tournament appearances, match arrangements, analyzing of scrims, matches, and communications.
As the Coach for the Halo3 team, how involved are you with the players practice and training regime?
The team mainly practices the game by themselves. I do not need to tell them what to do in detail but to keep them practicing. What I do though is; we talk about the scrims they have played and analyze them, watching the ingame demos. In addition, we do work on the focus and concentration before and ingame so our performance as a team gets better and steady.
How much do you feel your role within the Halo squad helps the team?
It is always better to have an extra member of the team who is there for everything regarding the team, the game and life also. We are all good friends and trust each other, not only in the game. I am working closely with my players to assist in every situation. I am sorting and assisting during the preparation before events and onsite. You know about the micro management at the events, sorting out transport, food and drinks. Basically what’s bothering the team. Therefore, it helps out, yes.
As the coach are you at all nervous when it comes to tournaments?
I am excited like a little kid before Christmas, but nervous? Only a little bit. I do enjoy the tournament atmosphere and feel the drive to perform, but I am not getting noticeably nervous. My experience and confidence into my team and myself keeps me reasonable calm, usually.
What about MLG, it seems to be the top accolade for Halo3 players, the ultimate experience and trial to prove that you can compete with the best of the world, does that make you nervous at all?
MLG is indeed the top tournament a Halo player can compete in. Only the best teams can make it at these tournaments. To compete with the world’s elite Halo teams, does make me feel a little bit nervous. As soon as we start to play, it will be gone by then. I know what my team is capable of and if we are on our A game, we do not need to be scared at all. Even though, not only the competition with the other teams but also the marathon we need to play in order to get to championship bracket gives me a lot of respect for this event. I will not take this easy.
Who do you think will be your biggest competition at the MLG event?
It might sound weird, but our biggest competition will be the amount of series we will have to play. We are competing versus 191 Teams in the open bracket. We need to get us a spot in the top 16 out of these, to progress to championship bracket. This will be insanely tough, playing and constantly performing for about 10 hours on Saturday. When it comes down to teams, Power Gaming and LowLandLions will be our European rivals to beat. Ultimately, any US top eight team we can meet in tournament play.
How much does travelling affect your players? Do you find you have to do anything extra or special to help them when traveling?
So far, we have all been fine due the travel. We have never been to the USA for a tournament before. Thanks to Anne from Fnatic, we can arrive on Wednesday so we have a spare day to get rid of the jetlag. That should help us to get ready and set for the tournament. The special thing I might be doing, is sitting right next to them, so I can hold Rasmus’s hand during starting and landing.
Do you find that there is any added pressure to perform, being a Coach? Like if your players do not do well, the blame and focus could be put onto you?
There is pressure of course. If there is any extra added for me? I think so, it is down to me to keep the team as a unit and focused. It is tough since I as the coach do see more than each player from the game, having four screens to watch. Certainly, we win and lose as a team so I cannot see me being blamed for an – unlikely – poor ingame performance.
This is your first major tournament playing for FnaticMSI, are you eager to compete or nervous at all?
I am burning to compete at this tournament. MLG Orlando as the season finale is just stunning. The management has done so much for us in the little time we are a part of FnaticMSI. As for us, we want to prove that the backing we are getting is deserved and well invested. Steelseries supplies us with their new Siberia v2’s, I cannot wait to get my hands on these and to wear them at MLG.
Leading up to an event is there any special sort of training you and your team go through?
We do more intense practice and as for this time, we are doing a bootcamp with one of the other Top3 European team, LowLandLions who are also attending Orlando, prior to the event. We do a lot of talking about the quest we have coming up, to answer any questions about the event and the surrounding. In addition to that, I am trying to fix everything I can, about my daily life so my mind is cleared and ready for Halo only. You know doing everything up to the max and no distractions.
Are there any pregame rituals you and your team indulge in before heading into a match?
Haha, I do give Daniel a quick massage of his neck and shoulders, tell him to do me the ‘victory smile’. All of us are taking a look and ‘hi5’ each other. Perhaps we are developing something extra during MLG Orlando.
Do you think coaching could help other E-Sports such as Counterstrike or QuakeLive?
I think it depends on the team or the player to be coached. If you let someone who is not actually playing in the match tell you what to do and support you by doing so, I believe it is a plus. As for Counterstrike, I can talk to my team during the entire match, where in CS you usually can only in the freeze time. Therefore, if the team wants it and it is financeable, yes it could help other E-Sports.
What in your opinion makes a good Coach?
A good coach needs to have a very good knowledge about the game he is coaching. Always thinking positive and realistic, having true confidence in his team and himself. What makes the difference, I believe, knowing when to tell your team what needs to be said and sometimes to just leave it. A player usually knows what went good or less, so you do not really need to repeat his own thoughts. Be there for your team and stay in the game just like them, get them back up after a bad match, keep them in the competition. Having a smile for the team when they need it, works wonders sometimes.
Do you see any people in other E-Sports that could make good coaches for their respective games?
Kick van Houten alias Floepsa. He knows so much about Counterstrike and how to play, but he cannot aim like the Pros. I believe he could make a really good coach since he’s been to the last two WCG Grand finals as a referee for CS and I know him in person, amazing gamer and guy. Also SammyK who would be a brilliant coach for his Call of Duty: MW2 Team. Apart from these two, I cannot really say as I focus on Halo.
Does having tournament admin experience help you with your coaching duties at all when you are onsite at an event?
Definitely, if you know how to run tournaments you get more calm since you know what to expect and ‘how an admin works’. You know how it is, stress everywhere and usually there is always something happening what can throw you off your game, delays or technical issues. It might only appeal to me but I believe if you have been an admin at major events, you talk different to admins and know what to do onsite. It supports the team because I can handle things like this and I am generally more calm then they are.
Do you take a more hands on or hands off approach when teaching and working with your players?
I believe I handle things kind of mixed. I am taking hands on if I feel it is necessary. Since our chemistry is really well we can talk about almost everything in a mature and successful way. Usually I leave my hands off. At events, I am putting a lot of focus on my own and my team’s actions, so I can react once I have the feeling it is required. So far, we have been good like it is.
Are you a more intense coach? When at an event when you are standing behind them are you screaming and yelling to get them fired up, or do you simply let them play their game?
Before matches and during the event I am usually calm and you can only imagine or see it from my face how focused I am. When we are playing, I am in the game just like my team. I am giving all I have to achieve the maximum. So yea, I can get loud and fire them up. Stefan and Rasmus are doing their leading roles really good which leaves me to the situations where they are in dire need to win. Sometimes it is just a proper wakeup call at the right time to turn the tide of the match and sometimes I need to go all in so we can save this certain game in the series.
What to you makes a strong player?
A strong player, just like other successful people in their profession, they need to know exactly what they are doing. A healthy amount of self-confidence is needed and the ability to focus entirely on the upcoming match or task. You need to have the passion for what you are doing and enjoy it then motivation and dedication should be at its right place. For me, the discipline makes a huge part of a strong player. Continue to work on yourself and your team even if it is not always going easy.
What are your goals for this MLG event?
We want to prove our worth to FnaticMSI and our fellow European scene since we are representing Europe at MLG. As for tournament goals… to play through the Open bracket within 191 other teams willing to win, that is our minimum goal. A top 16 or top 12 finish would be amazing considering the competition and finishing as the best European team of course.
Any last words for the FnaticMSI community?
We all, my team and I highly appreciate what FnaticMSI and our sponsors, MSI, SteelSeries, SLAPPA, Bigfoot Networks and UGAME are doing for us. Huge thanks to Tugsy and all the staff from Halo3forum.eu who are moving many things to help develop the console E-sports in Europe. A big shout goes to my friend Peter, who has always been there for me. In addition, yea, I am really looking forward to the body-searching officers at Amsterdam Schiphol! If you know what I mean.. Thanks for reading. Cheers.
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