The Essence of Esports Coaching: Evolve or get left behind.

Esports is evolving, and the most educated coaches will rise to the top.

Currently, most esports coaches are ‘grinding’—repeating the same routines season after season, hoping that trial and error will eventually lead them to become world-class, championship-winning coaches.

But here’s the irony:

Coaches expect their players to master their craft, watch YouTube videos, analyze gameplay, and strive to become the best version of themselves. Yet, when it comes to coaching themselves, many coaches barely invest in their own development.

They might watch a single video on coaching and assume that qualifies them. No background education, no certifications, no structured learning—just trial and error and a ‘passion for coaching.’

Where is the dedication to actually becoming the best coach you can be?

And then these same coaches come to me wanting to coach Tier 1 teams, go full-time, and make a career out of coaching. Sure, I’ll help—but let’s be honest, do you actually deserve that level yet?

If your answer is yes, let’s go! If it’s probably not, then let’s learn and grow together.

What Coaching Really Is

Now that we’ve addressed what isn’t coaching, let’s talk about the true essence of it:

“To help a person change in the way they wish and help them go in the direction they want to go.”

Let’s break that down.

One of the first things to notice is that this statement is entirely about serving the player. The phrase “in the way they wish” makes it clear: coaching is not about you forcing things on them. Your job is to adapt to your team’s needs rather than blindly applying your own ideas.

At the same time, “help them go in the direction they want to go” means that coaching is about guidance. It’s not about making every decision for them. It’s about helping players become better by providing them with the tools, insights, and frameworks to improve their performance in competitive gaming and their overall esports skills development.

That doesn’t mean being a pushover. Coaching isn’t about blindly catering to a player’s every whim—it’s about guiding them in a way that aligns with their personal and team goals.

Are Your Players Ready to Be Coached?

Not every player is open to coaching. Even at the highest levels, some players say “yes” but act “no.” They might follow your instructions half-heartedly, resist feedback, or simply not engage.

A player who isn’t ready for coaching isn’t necessarily unwilling—they just haven’t developed the mindset to fully accept support and make changes.

It’s your job to recognize this and bridge the gap before you try to impose your ideas.

Coaching Isn’t About Being Right—It’s About Progress

Even if you have the perfect strategies, your players might not buy into them. There’s a gap between what you know and what they believe.

Imagine a child playing with fire. You know it will burn them. But from their perspective, fire looks fun, exciting, and harmless. Simply telling them “don’t do it” won’t work—they have to understand and experience why.

The same applies to coaching. If your players don’t believe in your approach, forcing it on them won’t work. Instead, your role is to guide them, understand their perspective, and bridge the gap.

So ask yourself: Do you want to be right, or do you want to make progress?

Coaching the Person, Not Just the Player

Remember: you’re never coaching “a player.” You’re coaching a person who happens to be a player. They have lives, emotions, and personal experiences that shape how they approach the game.

The more you understand their mindset, motivations, and challenges, the more effective your coaching will be.

Creating a Structure for Success

Now, let’s look at the first part of coaching’s essence: “to help a person change.”

Change requires a structured, clear, and safe environment where players are:

• Stimulated & Motivated
• Given individual attention
• Having a clear structure and clear expectations to thrive
• Empowered to experiment and make decisions independently

Creating this environment is not something that happens by accident. Without structure, teams experience miscommunication, frustration, and underperformance.

Does Your Team Have Structure?

Here’s a test: imagine removing all verbal communication and game knowledge from your team.

Would they still function effectively? Would they still understand expectations, behaviors, and routines? Or would chaos break out?

If your team falls apart without words, it means you lack structure. True structure goes beyond in-game knowledge and strategies—it’s about setting clear expectations, routines, and values that shape the team’s culture.

Examples of a structured team environment:

• Clear expectations & rules – Players know exactly what is expected of them.
• Consistent schedules – Scrims, VOD reviews, and training follow a predictable routine.
• Defined behavioral standards – Shared values and accountability systems are in place.
• Efficient learning processes – Information is introduced and reinforced in a structured way.

The Opportunity for Esports Coaches

Many Tier 1 teams don’t have these structures in place. That means there is a huge opportunity for you to step in, bring these skills, and prove your value as a coach.

If you can master structure, player psychology, and the true essence of coaching, you’ll stand out from the competition and fast-track your way into a paid career doing what you love.

So, the real question is:

Are you ready to rise as an educated, structured, and high-impact esports coach?

Let’s make it happen.

Are you looking to master esports coaching and grow your career? Then check out the Esports Coach Revolution Course, which is a unique chance to get where you want to be as an esports coach.

Want to learn together with other like-minded esports coaches? Click [here] to join the Next Level Esports Discord and just send a message in general chat or a DM and we will help you move you to your next level.

See you there, coach!