Inspire eSports - 3/2/16 - Player Highlight Articles

I'm a bit late in posting this, but I'm very happy to share some journalism-style writing I have done for Inspire eSports. It was quite an endeavor to get these articles done; the players are based in Berlin, Germany, and trying to catch them on Skype and TeamSpeak for an interview was tricky. In the end, I was pleased with my results, and the team owner apparently liked my writing enough to post it same day I submitted it with no edits. Enjoy!

Original post: http://www.inspireesports.com/players

Top - Max "Satorius" Günther

From the first day of the 2016 EU Challenger Series, Max “Satorius” Gunther has shown himself as a force to be reckoned with, putting up impactful performances on champions such as Malphite, Trundle, and even Gragas. And there appears to be no slowing down for Inspire’s top lane powerhouse as they continue their ascent into European League of Legends history. For Satorius, determination and a willingness to improve are the keys to being an amazing player, and with his Worlds dreams including matching up against the likes of ROX Tigers and other renowned international teams, we can expect great things from him as the season unfolds.

Off the Rift, Satorius unwinds by playing football and engaging in outdoor activity. Though his repertoire is comprised of many tanks and bruisers, Satorius has shown a surprising palette for different champions. Beyond his top lane AP Gragas, he has expressed a fondness for Yasuo, and a dislike for Maokai. The most unusual choice, however, is his top lane Blitzcrank, which he claims has beaten a Riven in lane.

Jungle - Nubar "Maxlore" Sarafian

Among the star players who emerged from the 2015 Challenger Summer Qualifiers, Nubar “Maxlore” Sarafian stands out as one of the most talented junglers going into the 2016 season. A former member of Gamers2 and other UK teams, Maxlore brings a fiery energy to the already formidable Inspire roster, and hopes to one day stack up against the best junglers from the LCK and LPL in the near future. For Maxlore, it is LCS or bust, and with proven mastery over jungle champions such as Graves and Lee Sin, combined with his team’s strong showings in the Challenger Series, he looks to be unstoppable in his quest to the top.

It’s not all smites and fights for Maxlore, though. Outside of the Rift, Maxlore plays piano and partakes in recreational sports such as football, tennis, and squash. He also considered a career as either a maths teacher or musical performer before getting into professional gaming. So what’s Maxlore’s advice to anyone looking to break into professional League of Legends? “Don’t let your ego or emotions stop you from improving.” And his advice for beating Inspire coach LeDuck in a 1v1? “Ban Blitzcrank = free win.” Wise words indeed!

Mid - Sofyan "CozQ" Rechchad

A breakout player in the 2016 European Season, Sofyan “CozQ” Rechchad is already making a name for himself as a skilled mid laner alongside long-time veterans of the EU scene. His resume as a player is impressive; past team interims include LowLandLions.White, Copenhagen Wolves Academy, and E-corp Gaming. With a new season ahead and a new team behind him, CozQ looks to reach top 5 with Inspire in their first LCS Split, and even hopes to one day challenge two-time World Champions SKT T1 at Worlds.

Despite his individual skill and synergy with the Inspire roster, CozQ remains ever-humble and ever-diligent in evolving as a player. He advises aspiring players to “try to look for every mistake you make and try to improve on them...and of course, play a lot of games!” But don’t let his humility fool you; there is no shortage of confidence for CozQ as he and Inspire march forward to the LCS. “We are getting better and better every week. And for my individual performance, I think I can compete the top mid laners in EU.”

AD Carry - Pawel "Woolite" Pruski

A veteran of Copenhagen Wolves and ROCCAT, Pawel “Woolite” Pruski has firmly established his name among the noteworthy players of the European scene, and now forges a new path to glory with Inspire eSports. Woolite is no stranger to the LCS, having been named Rookie of the Year in 2015 during his time with the Wolves and reaching 4th place with the Wolves in the Summer Playoffs. However, titles and top 4 are only the tip of the iceberg for Woolite. His long-standing history as a player only serves as motivation to return to the LCS and break into Worlds, where he can prove his mettle against superstar teams such as SKT T1 and Immortals.

Woolite is a fan of Twitch (the champion, not the streaming site), and harbors a hatred for Malphite. When he’s not wrecking bot lane on the Rift, Woolite spends his free time playing ping pong, doing calisthenics, and watching movies. He is also confident in his 1v1 odds against coach LeDuck. “Ducky is much shorter than me but heavier, so it could be a close one...however, I’m really confident in my IRL fighting skills, so he would not stand a chance!” Not quite the 1v1 we were looking for, but we admire his spirit!

Support - Daniel "Wendelb0" Wendelbo

As one half of Inspire’s deadly bot lane duo, Daniel Wendelbo, better known as just “Wendelbo,” looks to make his mark on the European League scene and help carry Inspire eSports into the LCS. Having played with teams such as Denial eSports and Intellectual Playground (whose roster included future contenders Zven, Santorin, and GodBro), Wendelbo brings experience in the form of past Challenger series performances, and most notably a 2-0 win with Denial eSports at eSports Festival 2015 in Belgium. He continues to strive with Inspire, and is eager to challenge the top teams of the EU LCS, as well as international teams such as SKT T1.

When it comes to gaming, Wendelbo keeps it focused yet fun. He enjoys football and table tennis, and is fond of playmaking champs such as Thresh; however, he firmly labels Tahm Kench as “anti-fun.” Still, Wendelbo appears to be good enough to make plays as any champion in the support role. When asked if support Teemo was viable, he simply responds, “Teemo is Gucci.” Fingers crossed that we see some doom ‘shroom action in the near future!

Coach - Titus "LeDuck" Hafner

If you have been following the European LoL scene for the past few years, the name Titus “LeDuck” Hafner is probably familiar to you. LeDuck has coached for Copenhagen Wolves, ROCCAT, and most recently Origen, and now brings his experience and guidance to the promising players of Inspire eSports. Among his notable achievements in professional gaming is bringing Origen to the 2015 EU LCS Summer Split Finals, where they broke Fnatic’s record-breaking “perfect” win streak in the playoffs. In short, Inspire could not have asked for a more seasoned and knowledgeable mind to help pilot them to the EU LCS.

Aside from coaching, LeDuck enjoys dining on sushi and Chinese food, playing poker and billiards, and defending Teemo as a misunderstood champion. He’s also no slouch at the game himself, having trolled the solo queue ladders with his favorite champion Blitzcrank for the past few years. In fact, LeDuck claims he can beat Inspire team owner Michael “Michai” Schnorr in a 1v1 with one arm (Rocket Arm, in this case) tied behind his back. If that’s not a testament to LeDuck’s skill as a coach, we don’t know what is.