KUCHING: Kelvin Unting who began gaming when he was 14 years old has never thought of starting his career by coaching others on how to play video games competitively.
He was merely playing for fun, mostly with friends after school without any serious efforts.
Speaking to New Sarawak Tribune recently, the 20-year-old from Sibu said it was about three years ago, when he decided to participate in an organised gaming competition.
Although his team was defeated in the grand finale, he described it as ‘the defining moment’ of his journey in e-sports as he realised playing video games competitively was totally different from gaming casually with friends.
“My team was defeated but it was not the end of everything; it actually motivated me to do better; to improve my gaming skills by identifying my weakness and strength as well as to learn to analyse opponent’s strategy and play style.
“Since then, I have been putting more efforts in gaming and actively sharing and exchanging views and tips on gaming on various social media platforms on how to improve gaming skills and maximise winning chances.
“Then, people started to tell me I have the qualities and skills to coach; eventually, I volunteered to coach an independent women’s team without any official affiliation.”
Making his debut as head coach in e–sports
Kelvin who never became a professional gamer or e-sports athlete made his debut in the country’s gaming scene as a head coach in December 2021.
He was only 18, shortly after completing his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) when he received an offer from Suhaz E-sports – an organisation that manages teams in various competitive e-sports games in Malaysia.
The former student of Sacred Heart Secondary School in Sibu then began his career as a head coach at Suhaz Ladies, an all-female division from Suhaz Esports; before being entrusted to train Suhaz Mobile Premier League (MPL) as well.
“So, I was coaching two teams simultaneously,” he said, adding that like any other profession, he was receiving a salary as well.
As a head coach, he focused on providing support and guidance of skills improvement, strategy and overall performance. He was required to do analysis on gameplay, give feedback and create effective training plans to help the players reach their maximum potential.
In addition, he had to recognise the point of strength and the weakness point of their team including their opponents to create higher chances of winning.
Coaching a national team for SEA Games 2023
Kelvin’s extensive experience in gaming and leadership skills landed him a greater opportunity when he was appointed head coach for the women’s category of Malaysia e-sports contingent for the 32nd SEA Games, which was held in Cambodia from May this year.
They entered boot camp at the National Sports Council of Malaysia on April 1, conducting offline and physical training sessions, which usually started from 8am to 10pm from Monday to Saturday.
The team, which consisted of seven female players would have their break and rest time at 12noon, 4pm and 7pm.
Kelvin was overwhelmed with emotions when the Malaysian flag was raised on the podium during the prize giving ceremony for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) female category after the competition.
“It was a proud moment knowing that we were bringing a bronze medal home, especially when it was the first time ever for Malaysia to send a team to compete in the category,” he recalled.
“Although we did not win the gold, everyone did their best. I am sure the win has created more awareness among the gaming community and e-sports industry in the country,” he added.
Kelvin described it as a ‘dream come true’ for being able to coach a national team to represent the country; it was a rewarding and priceless experience.
However, he had also faced negative comments and critics some of whom called for his removal as coach for the team.
“We cannot control what others want to say; thus, we need to learn to be more open minded and maintain a positive attitude when it comes to negative things,” he said.
Education remains priority
Currently, Kelvin is studying at University Technology Sarawak in Sibu, taking his Foundation in Arts and plans to read for a law degree if he is able to perform well and achieve good results.
“As for now, I do not have any big plans but to focus on my studies and completing a degree. But, I am also open to potential new opportunities” he said.
For him, education remains crucial despite his passion in e-sports; thus, he advised anyone who is in a dilemma in choosing between e-sports or to further their studies; to prioritise education.
“We can always return to e-sports after completing our tertiary education as it (e-sports) is not just about gaming; we need to equip ourselves with new knowledge and skills in order to pursue further in the industry as well.
“Apart from becoming a professional gamer or coach we can also venture into game development, event management (for e-sports), and many more.
“We never know what is going to happen next; by having a degree (education), it will definitely provide us with more choices in the future,” he said.
As Kelvin was able to get his priority right; by prioritising education and studies, even when he was at secondary school, his parents did not really have much to worry about.
He admitted that gaming could be quite addictive, thus, it is important to have strong self-control, discipline, time management; to avoid addiction or neglecting other duties and responsibilities.
Citing his younger days, when he was still studying at secondary school, he would complete his homework and revision before joining his friends to play video games.
Apart from that, his parents learned about gaming through watching e-sports tournaments, reading about e-sports news and articles on social media.
“I even teach them how to play video games. I know it is difficult for them to understand if I were to explain it (verbally) to them. So, I let them experience it,” he said.
“I think many parents do not support gaming or look at e-sports negatively as they do not really understand it. And of course, as a child or student we need to be clear on our priority despite e-sports being a potential and growing industry,” he said.
Should e-sports be regarded as a real sport?
Although not everyone is ready to accept e-sports as a real sport one cannot deny the fact that the world is revolving simultaneously with the advancement of digital technology.
This has changed the way people interact, socialise, and consume news as well as sourcing for entertainment, including playing sports.
Bountee Esports team manager Jasper Lee said it is true that a person does not have to be athletically gifted, to join the e-sports world; it is more inclusive and easily accessible than any other sports; where everyone is almost on the same level playing field.
However, it does not mean that a person does not have to take care of their health as playing video games competitively demands significant stamina and heightened focus both physical and mental.
E-sports athletes, he said, need to practice intensively in order to improve their gaming skills, including thinking, making decisions and acting quickly and strategically on the spot in the heat of the moment.
Similar to other traditional sports, they need to have teamwork, self-discipline and take good care of their body.
“I mean it won’t really matter if you’re tall or short; man or woman. But, to be in my team, a gamer must be physically fit, they have to watch what they eat and throw in a bit of physical exercise.
Otherwise, how do I expect him or her to think critically and respond promptly during a competition?”
“When my team members are not gaming or training, we will go swimming, play basketball and so on, to keep them healthy and ready for long hours of practice,” he said.
According to Lee, gaming competitions and tournaments can be held between professional players individually or as a team while most of the professional gamers are aged between 18 and 25.
He personally felt that it is ideal for school children to be exposed to gaming at the age of 15 and above; when they are able to develop self-discipline, time management, and understand why and how they play video games.
This is to avoid addiction as well as neglecting their studies and other duties and responsibilities
“For young athletes, they need to focus on studies first and balance the time spent between gaming and studying. Otherwise, I will advise them to focus and finish their studies before thinking about how to achieve their dream as an e-sports athlete.
“This is because to become a professional player, it requires a lot of training and commitments. For our players, they train about six to eight hours per day, from Monday to Friday,” he said.
“Many people are gaming but not all of them are able to play it professionally, and only the best of the best can rise up and be successful,” he added.
Benefits of gaming and e-sports
Most people tend to do things or activities they enjoy during their free time, to relax, unwind; thus gaming is akin to any other hobby, such as gardening, reading, watching movies, which helps to lower stress.
Lee said playing video games also helped to improve a person’s reaction time and mental flexibility in adapting changes.
Apart from that, gaming improved hand-eye coordination, attention and visual acuity.
This is because gamers need to sync their hand-eye coordination perfectly to what is happening in front of the gamer on the screen or in the games, which is happening at extremely fast-paced rates.
E-sports athletes, he said, would also be trained and equipped with critical thinking, decision-making and problem-solving skills as these are crucial to maximise their winning chances.
Gaming, he said, also teaches the players about teamwork, communication, creative thinking, and digital literacy.
“All these are essential life skills which are very relevant and useful for their future even if they are no longer in the e-sports industry,” he explained.
Hopes and expectations
Lee hoped that Sarawak’s e-sports scene matures with time to allow more opportunities for local players, to be on par with other athletes and teams in the Asian countries.
“We need more support and investments from both private and public, including some government grants to import players from other countries for our gamers to learn how to play with and compete against international players,” he said,
Meanwhile, Kelvin believed that the e-sports industry will continue to grow, with more international competitions, tournaments, events as well as an increase in professional gamers and other potential new careers and job opportunities.
Thus, he hoped the federal and state governments would play more active roles, with increased commitments and efforts to support and develop the industry in the country.
“I believe our country has a lot of unpolished jewels that are yet to be discovered, thus, it is necessary to identify these talents, especially among the teenagers or secondary school students,” he said.
As for the private sectors and the e-sports organisations, they can focus more on reaching and recruiting more youngsters, new talents and start honing their skills.
