Esports and the increasing demand for performance coaches

We all know that jobs are limited in pro and collegiate sport. But are there any uptapped areas or upcoming opportunities within the industry where performance coaches can have a big impact? We believe that esports is one of them areas so we spoke to Director of Performance at esports team, Evil Geniuses, Lindsey Migliore to find out more.

How is esports developing when it comes to focusing on the physical and mental side of performance?

As more money and attention are coming to esports, there is an increase in the professionalization of the field. In parallel, injuries and burnout are forcing players into early retirement. Both of these are coming together to increase the focus on the physical and mental health of the players and coaches.

“Performance coaches” have been involved in the space for years but, without certification, an overseeing body or the aforementioned professionalization, the skills and services these individuals provided have varied immensely. Recently, organizations have started to hire full time employees or long term contractors to oversee player health.

It’s really the wild west right now. There are no official training programs or pathways. Esports performance is similar to “apprenticeships” right now, where you find someone already in the space, learn from them and then branch out on your own after you’ve gained the necessary skills.

My organization is leading that charge, with a full performance team of a medical doctor (myself), Head of Performance, individual performance coaches, a mental performance expert and a physical therapist.

What are the demands placed on esports athletes?

There are immense physical and mental challenges placed on esports athletes. First, the repetitive nature of PC or console gaming places the small muscles of the hand and wrist at risk for injury. These often start small and smolder, with transient numbness or dull pain after long gaming sessions. However, during increases in training load or during other activities, these injuries can worsen and lead to decreased performance or an inability to game entirely.

Most professional players are formally training six days a week for eight to ten months out of the year. Practice usually starts with aim warm-ups in a computer program or mini-versions of the game they are playing. Practices are scheduled against other teams in your division, and are often called “scrimmages” or “scrims’ for short. Depending on the title, teams will play between three and eight scrims a day, usually for four to six hours. After formal practice, players will often continue to practice in the game on their own.

To explain competitions, we can use two examples: League of Legends and Counter-Strike. League of Legends teams are all based in Los Angeles. The competitive year is split into two seasons, with each having a playoff bracket and international competition after the regular season. Teams play two to three games every weekend during that time, from January to often November.

Counter-Strike has much more variability in scheduling, with teams traveling all over the world to compete. Counter-Strike players may spend upwards of two-thirds of the year on the road traveling for practice and competitions.

Mentally, these players are placed under immense levels of stress, oftentimes constantly in the public eye and with very little support services. Being 18 is hard enough. Players are often transported from their home environments to train full time, thrust into the limelight with their every move scrutinized on social media, all the while under the pressure to perform.

Given the nature of the sport, cognitive training will be a big focus. What does that training look like and how can performance coaches and sports scientists help?

There are incredible opportunities to improve the training of esports athletes, whether through periodization of their training, adding in strength & conditioning, hand-eye coordination drills, reaction time training, aim programs or cognitive training. There are huge variabilities in the training experience depending on the title played and organization a player belongs to.

Creating easy to explain and convenient training protocols is an excellent way for sports scientists to improve the field.

Current cognitive training practices include: simple mental warm ups, chess, aim-training via special computer software such as AimLab or more specialized techniques.

In a sport that has athletes sitting during practice and competition, what are performance practitioners doing from a general health and longevity perspective with these athletes?

A recent study showed that esports athletes have a lower lean body mass (LBM) compared to non-gaming peers. From a longevity perspective, this has paramount health concerns, as LBM is correlated with obesity, diabetes and chronic health conditions. The focus on esports athletic training needs to be aerobic fitness, injury prevention and maintaining a healthy body composition.

My players have access to world-class fitness facilities and trainers who understand the unique health concerns of an esports athlete. Furthermore, they receive attention from physical therapists, injury screenings and nutritional support.

A typical training week for a proactive esports athlete would be gym workouts three to five times a week with a focus on aerobic conditioning. Furthermore, strengthening the hand and wrist muscles as well as the core can prevent common injuries.

What is the opportunity for performance practitioners in other sports to enter the world of esports?

There is a huge unmet need for performance practitioners familiar with traditional sports techniques in the world of esports. Right now we are operating in Esports Performance 101, and need to increase the programming and support available for these individuals. It is only after we see an influx in educated and experienced practitioners that we can make this jump.

Advice I would give for those transitioning from traditional sports is to find a local college or high school in your area with an esports program and offer your services pro bono. Start with your area of expertise and provide basic, actionable advice. Unlike traditional sports where athletes have years of experience working with support services, for esports athletes this might be the first time they are interacting with a practitioner, so start with the basics.

What are the biggest mistakes you see young practitioners or clinicians make, and what advice would you give them to help?

Esports has its own tips, tricks, strengths and shortcomings. Although you can draw parallels between traditional sports and esports, they are not the same. Due to the unique backgrounds of these players and the rapidly shifting ecosystem, changes need to be stepwise and gradual rather than abrupt and comprehensive. Be creative, be adaptive and be kind.