E-Sports Coaches

You will need at least one to three years of experience in lower-level coaching positions (e.g., performance coach, strategy coach, head coach of an amateur team) to become a head coach at the semi-professional or professional levels. With that said, it’s possible for highly skilled e-sports players with strong coaching and managerial abilities and good networking contacts to work as paid coaches without much coaching experience.

E-sports coaches must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills because they regularly work with team members with different backgrounds, personalities, and communication and learning styles. They need to be enthusiastic and supportive to inspire their athletes to do their best and overcome adversity. The ability to provide constructive criticism is very important. E-sports coaches must be able to ensure positive team dynamics and deescalate disputes and/or rivalries between team members. Strong communication skills are also important because e-sports coaches serve as the team’s representative to the media.

E-sports coaches must be experts in the strategies associated with winning competitions in various games and be able to change their strategies mid-competition to obtain an edge.

Other important traits include strong analytical, problem-solving, and time-management skills; the ability to multitask; a decisive personality; flexibility; patience; creativity; adaptability; good leadership skills; and knowledge of current and developing trends in e-sports technology, methodology, and techniques. Coaches also need a comprehensive understanding of e-sports rules and regulations.