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    Team managers, life coaches emerge as unsung heroes of M3

    Blacklist's Boss Rada, RSG SG's Benjamin Lim, and more take us through a day in M3
    Dec 3, 2021
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    WHEN esports organizations accomplish something monumental, the spotlight is almost always fixed on the coaches and players. And rightly so.

    But at the edge of that spotlight are the individuals whose efforts have carried these teams to the biggest stage of all. Their efforts are very often overlooked and unheralded — but provide the solid foundation that props up every winning moment.

    And as multiple teams from around the world journey to Singapore to take part in Mobile Legends' M3 World Championships, we take a look at these individuals working tirelessly, and invisibly, behind the scenes. Without them, none of their respective teams would have made it in the M3 World Championships.

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      The importance of team managers

      “I think the main essence of the manager is to make sure that the team is geared for success,” said RSG SG’s team manager Benjamin Lim.

      It's a long and sometimes brutal task list of administrative duties that's far removed from the high-octane adrenaline rush of competition.

      “Basically, you have to handle their schedules, make sure their performing, make sure they are practicing well, and make sure that their environment that they are in is conducive,” he said.

      But in building that environment, managers ensure that every player is in a system where they could perform at their best, said EVOS SG Business Development Lead and former professional player, Stefan Chong “SOUL” Ru Chyi.

      “Addressing the individual player’s issues if they have school, if they have work, if they become imbalanced — you have to figure out ways to accommodate them in the training regimen,” he elaborated.

      For many of the teams, M3 compounded an already difficult job, as overseas squads had to struggle with the mountain of paperwork and bureaucracy that comes with bringing a squad of competitive players (many of them still under the age of majority) into Singapore.

      Red Canids manager Geraldo Barbosa Rodrigues Jr., who admitted that this was his first time managing a team, said that his M3 preparations was a true baptism of fire.

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      “It is important that I guarantee that all the players have their documents ready so that they won’t have any issues when coming to Singapore,” said the Red Canids manager.

      Parents, of course, were also factored into the equation.

      "I have been in touch with the parents of the players because most of them are minors so I need to reassure them that their sons are treated well,” he explained. “Besides that, I’m also the main contact between the players and Red Canids, and also the M3 teams.”

      He concluded: "I make sure that they have everything they need so they can only focus on training and getting their comps straight and getting prepared in facing the other teams."

      Rovin Manapat from Blacklist International echoed his Red Canids counterpart, as he briefly explained the difficulties he encountered with government protocols when it came to vaccination (a requirement for M3).

      “Nahirapan kami kase yung mga minors dito sa Pilipinas, hindi pa ina-allow sa atin na i-vaccine kaagad,” said Manapat, of the team’s minors, Kiel “OHEB” Soriano and Edward “EDWARD” Jay Dapadap.

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      Lucky for him, both were given the go signal to proceed.

      Life coaches in the esports scene

      Besides team managers, life coaches have also been integral in a team’s success.

      For many teams, this role is folded into the head coach or team manager's already long list of duties. But Blacklist has hired Elrasec Ocampo, a.k.a. Boss Rada, to oversee the emotional spectrum of the players.

      Team owner and cosplayer, Alodia Gosiengfiao, had nothing but high remarks for Blacklist’s life coach.

      “Rada was there from the beginning. I mean, he did a lot of changes on how things should be and he communicates really well. He is not afraid to call out players and help them improve,” she reflected.

      Fans of the MPL-PH may already be familiar with Boss Rada's crucial role. He was featured prominently in the league's documentary series Legacies, during the episode featuring Johnmar "OhMyV33nus" Villaluna and Joshua "Ch4knu" Mangilog.

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      Why is his role important? “Because I think in every team you really have to have a leader where people respect you and people actually adjust so that everyone competes and gets along harmoniously. We need someone like that, always focused on them full time,” said the Tier One co-founder.

      And his experience in his previous work has prepared him for the challenges that lie ahead.

      “He came from a different industry which actually manages people, so he knows how to handle a lot of people, I think he handled more than 200 people at a time before. So focusing on one team, he already has a lot of experience from that."

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