The Rise of the Performance Coach and Analyst Role in esports

Their primary aim is to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each competitor thus enabling them to take their game to the next level. In addition to working on the physical aspects, many performance analysts may be tasked with improving mental resilience and motivation.  

Strongly associated with track and field events and top-level competitions such as the NFL, performance analysts have become increasingly prominent over the last decade, and many elite-level players rely on them to maintain consistent showings. 

Performance coaches have also become a vital commodity for esports teams with many of their players seemingly struggling with the physical and mental demands of regularly competing in high-profile events such as the ESL Pro League. To the completely uninitiated, CS2 may appear to be a simple first-person shooter game, yet there are thousands of nuances within the game which require in-depth tactics, knowledge and team synergy to progress. Making intelligent and unpredictable moves whilst outsmarting your opponents is key to success in the ESL, and performance coaches can help players to create an effective strategy which will help them to keep abreast of the semi-regular tweaks and changes within the game.  

Professional Growth of esports  

Performance coaches have been involved in the ESL Pro League for many years, yet it wasn’t until around 2015 that the importance of the role was finally recognised. The world of competitive gaming continues to grow exponentially and is showing very few signs of slowing down. This surge in interest has enabled esports to become a fairly mainstream pastime with an ever-growing audience which enables major tournaments and events to explore potentially lucrative commercial and financial opportunities. Multi-million-pound prize pools and additional betting opportunities have also helped to increase the number of viewers and permitted many teams to upscale their pool of full-time employees.   

Many CS:GO and CS2 tournaments have also struck up partnerships with multi-billion pound energy drink suppliers, financial conglomerates as well as global betting operators. The latter tends to make sense with many online bookmakers having recently strengthened their collection of esports tournament betting markets. With many bookies now enabling cryptocurrency transactions and offering generous sportsbook bonuses, esports fans can further immerse themselves in tournaments such as the ESL Pro League by wagering on their favourite teams and players both pre-game and in-play. 

Key Responsibilities of an esports Performance Coach  

As we’ve previously highlighted, sports performance coaches have been hired by professional organisations to design and develop successful in-game strategies as well as devise potential counter-strategies. Nevertheless, they are also tasked with dealing with the physical demands that are part and parcel of professional sports.   

The repetitive nature of gaming tends to take its toll on full-time players with hand and wrist muscles often becoming strained. Numbness and dull pain are two of the most common complaints among participants and performance coaches may be asked to devise bespoke training programs ahead of upcoming tournaments which will empower players and allow them to peak at the perfect moment.  

Thomas “ZooMaa” Paparatto’s unexpected retirement is one of the most high-profile examples of players becoming physically impacted by marathon gaming sessions, and performance coaches have been drafted in to ensure that competitors’ energy levels aren’t compromised by ongoing aches and pains.   

As well as dealing with physical complaints, performance coaches may also be asked to manage the schedules of their players. CS professionals tend to travel to tournaments all over the world with the 2024 calendar having already seen events held in Katowice, Chengdu, Copenhagen and Dallas. Many competitors are barely out of their teens and this is likely to take its toll on their mental health.   

Being in the public eye is far from straightforward and the constant pressure to perform in front of a global audience can weigh heavy on the shoulders of younger participants.   

One of the more straightforward tasks for performance coaches is to improve basic skills such as concentration and hand-to-eye coordination. They will help to create cognitive training programs which may be tailored for individuals or designed for the whole team. Many analysts will also ask their players to maintain a high level of fitness. Playing CS is a fairly sedentary activity, therefore regular gym sessions are mandatory. These may also improve mental sharpness ahead of upcoming tournaments and battles.   

Performance coaches are essential to team morale and it is rare to find a professional outfit who are yet to explore this route. There is a huge importance placed on esports tournaments such as the ESL Pro League and teams must ensure that their players are in tip-top shape.  The hiring of professional analysts should enable them to perform to the best of their ability at all times.