There is no team that is more deserving of this promotion.
We started a VALORANT team to show that we could approach the development and culture of a team differently. To foster an environment where our talent was given the time and support to develop as people and professionals
I talked with
@psalm
at the end of August last year in hopes of building a Valorant team that would be something special. Harrison and
@neT_valorant
took a chance on our vision and it led us to
@valyngod
and incredible leadership in
@MatthewCElmore
and
@Seowulf_
1/4
I've addressed this in other threads but there's been a lot of speculation online so to make it clear, Birdring is doing okay. It is definitely scary to see what happened on camera yesterday and the lagging frames don't help the scene look less chaotic, 1/6
Roster changes are never an easy decision, especially when
@danteh
was one of the best to work with. I'm grateful he represented our organization this year and for his mark on the team and the League. We'll continue rooting for him in anything that comes next.
Today, we are releasing Danteh.
We are grateful we had a professional like himself represent the Gladiators, even though his time with us was short. We know he will continue to be a massive part of the Overwatch community, and we wish him all the best.
Thank you,
@Danteh
. 💜
@GeorgeCGed
The issue with the train of thought that this was inevitable is why folks are making sure to loudly voice the opposite.
It’s not inevitable. It’s a decision that does not have to be embraced by organizations and should never have the option of being comfortable.
before we rounded out the roster with
@JonahP_
and
@minon501
. Finding
@trentFPS
was something we could have never anticipated. And really brought this roster together.
And now, they're headed to Iceland. 2/4
And that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of our INSANELY talented creative team who's been on this journey with us, and the fans that have been supporting the team along the way. Thanks for the love and we're looking forward to the next month 🫡 4/4
Excited to announce that I have joined the
@LAGladiators
and
@LAGuerrillas
as Director of Operations. I'm honored to have the opportunity to continue building a team that LA fans can be proud of.
#ShieldsUP
#HoodsUp
I cannot say how incredibly proud and humbled I am at how hard these guys have worked and how much they have grown and developed into a team representing
@TheGuard
. 3/4
At this time, we're continuously monitoring how he's feeling on a map by map basis. You'll see him in the starting line up but that is liable to change. 6/6
but he just felt dizzy from standing up too quickly.
He was evaluated immediately & the diagnosis was dizziness from orthostatic hypotension. It's concerning and we're not downplaying it, but is relatively normal for someone who is dehydrated 2/6
As with every year, we weigh what's best for our next season with what each individual player wants for themselves. Conversations are ongoing so please don't consider this a farewell for any of these faces. 💜
An update on contract statuses of the 2022 Gladiators ✍️
While discussions continue with our players, we still have plenty of fun videos from the team to share. Stay tuned!
Birdring's dedication is insane, but he doesn't have sole decision making power. We built an internal structure where the choice is not left to a single player or the coaching staff. Yesterday, our coaching staff, management and medical staff were all in discussion about it 3/6
It's taken some time for me to put this out as our primary focus is on his health first and foremost. We appreciate all the concern for his well-being and ask that you continue supporting him in and out of the game. 💜 5/6
We've had weekly check-ins with medical staff throughout the season, and the entire team has had daily monitoring for a week now. We also had mitigating factors to make it clear to viewers so that his absence would not cause a resurgence of the rumors from last year. 4/6
The
@LAGladiators
rallied to the challenge of packing a month and a half of belongings in less than an hour.
Sad to be leaving Korea but ready to have them home safe.
4 months ago we opened our season with a tough loss against Shock and it feels like we've come full circle to advance to Hawaii with a win against them. Insanely proud of the team's growth and the grit they've shown throughout the season.
Hawaii, here we come!
Shutting down the team house in LA has been bittersweet and has me going through my phone’s camera roll.
I wanted to share some of the laughs I had throughout the season.
I worked through the holiday season building our Valorant team and it led to
@alexrubens
sending me on a mandatory vacation last week.
Grateful to work for an org that knows the value of a reset (even when I don’t).
Even though our run is ending early, I am so proud of the team for taking home two trophies and overcoming the curveballs they were thrown while consistently giving their all.
Thank you to the fans for your love and support. We wouldn’t where we are without y’all. 💜
Our season ends today, but we leave with our mark cemented on a historic year of the Overwatch League.
Through all the ups and downs of
#OWL2022
, you stood by our side.
Thank you, Gladiators.
My contract with GZ expires today.
This house and this team will always hold so many memories for me. I’m thankful for the opportunity I was given to help build the foundation of something special, but I’m ready to do it again.
Updates to come...
From the island of misfit toys to now... I'm insanely proud of everything that was accomplished over the last year.
We're allowing the team to explore their options, while still under contract, in hopes of always giving our players the best path forward.
None of our guys have been home for longer than a few days over the course of the last 4 and a half months.
I am incredibly proud of everything they accomplished and although we didn’t continue showcasing what we’re capable of. We’ll be back.
Our young team has learned a lot from our first international LAN tournament.
The
#VCT
journey is not over - today simply marks the start of our preparation for Stage 2. We'll see you all there!
#StandGuard
It's so tone-deaf to work in this industry, witness the shifts in organizations across the board in the last year, and still say some stupid shit like this.
What a poor representation of yourself and your org.
I would not have been able to build out the first year of The Guard without
@psalm
. Harrison scouted the early talent and knew what the roster was capable of before anyone else.
Thank you for allowing us to be part of your journey and best of luck in the next.
Thankful to
@TheGuard
for the opportunity.
Now looking for future opportunities in org operations or creator side of gaming.
-10+ years of pro play across 4 titles (IGL)
-Scouted top talent in each title
-Leadership, mentorship & strategy are strengths
Would appreciate RTs ♥️
THROUGH TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, WE SHARPENED OUR BLADES - AND NOW KEEP OUR CROWN.
WE ARE YOUR MIDSEASON MADNESS AND BACK-TO-BACK TOURNAMENT CHAMPS!
#ShieldsUP
You took a leap of faith to come back to play, moved across the world to LA, and brought home two trophies. I am so proud of you and glad we could be part of your journey. Best of luck in your next chapter
@itsPatiphan
💜
Today,
@itsPatiphan
is retiring from Overwatch.
An energetic teammate and dynamic player, we can't thank him enough for not only his contribution to our team, but the joy he inspired within the entire Overwatch community.
Once a Gladiator, always a Gladiator.
Four seasons of lessons, memories, and incredible moments.
Thank you
@dpei_ow
for all the ways you've contributed to this team, we wish you all the best in the future.
@MrFerretman_ow
These situations are never easy, and if I've lost trust here, I intend to earn it back. As my actions have always spoken louder than my words.
@GeorgeCGed
@poggerswoggerss
You can respect something and still be condescending.
Especially when you down play that you have 50k followers and act as a source of news to the community. But at this point we're just helping you farm engagements.
Today, we have mutually agreed to part ways with
@ansansniper__
.
We greatly appreciate everything he has done this season and wish him all the best!
Once a Gladiator, always a Gladiator.
It’s not every day you get to work with a player of this caliber.
@Sayaplayer
thank you for leading by example and always keeping our heads on straight. Going to miss you 😭
Today we say thank you & farewell to
@Sayaplayer
as he transfers to
@T1
.
An integral part of our team, he acted as a leader sharing insight as a seasoned esports veteran.
Thank you for all your hard work & dedication Saya. We wish you the best of luck.
#ForeverStandingGuard
💜
Unfortunately the policies around travel and immigration are rapidly shifting in manners that are outside of our teams control. But our leadership,
@KEVSTER_OW
, and immigration experts have been exploring all options to get him here with the team.
Going to miss my pisces brother but couldn’t be more stoked for the opportunity in front of him.
@paintbrush
I’m so proud of you and have been admiring your dedication since day one. Good luck with
@DallasFuel
💜💙
And with that, our
#VCT
2022 season has come to an end.
We're so proud of everything our young team has accomplished this year.
Through it all, we couldn't have persevered without your ongoing support. Thank you for joining us on this journey.
#StandGuard
A tough goodbye as I’ve watched you grow from 2019 GZ Charge to now.
Very proud of who are you, and the color you brought to our team. Good luck in your next chapter 💜
Thank you,
@shu_overwatch
.
In your highlight reel plays on the way to 3 trophies, you showed us what it looks like to be the best of the best.
Once a Gladiator, always a Gladiator.
Now that we’re
#1
in NA I can give the bigger shout out to the folks who were there from even before this.
@dougliebe
and
@alexrubens
always building something different.
I talked with
@psalm
at the end of August last year in hopes of building a Valorant team that would be something special. Harrison and
@neT_valorant
took a chance on our vision and it led us to
@valyngod
and incredible leadership in
@MatthewCElmore
and
@Seowulf_
1/4
This isn’t an easy industry, and it takes a tremendous amount of grit to stay as a team and unit and earn your way back to the top. I am so incredibly fucking proud of these guys. Congratulations again to the team and to the staff behind them.
Thank you
@ATLReign
for hosting such an incredible weekend.
Proud of all the hard work and all that we overcame this week. Can’t wait to see what we accomplish in Stage 4.
#FeeltheCharge
#OWL2019
Enter
@texerino
and
@JoshRTz
. Our team went from the young rookies to a focused and disciplined team. Seo and Josh get all the credit for leading this team inside and outside of the practice room. I know how much this win means to both of them after the heavy lift they took on.
I met
@dpei_ow
before I took on my role at KSE and his philosophy sold me on being part of the
@LAGladiators
.
Our efforts have always been for the long term, and I’m incredibly proud of what they have, and will continue to accomplish as a team.
Had the amazing opportunity to talk with
@LAGladiators
head coach
@dpei_ow
ahead of the
#OWL2021
playoffs.
His change in coaching style, finding hidden gems like Skewed, winning the Countdown Cup, and more!
The Gladiators have always strived to field competitive rosters that contend for the top spot, and we believe a change will give us the ability to do that. As tough as this goodbye is, we appreciate our fans' unwavering support of our coaches/players as they look toward playoffs.
If you're interested in a small glimpse of what's been going on behind the scenes this year, give this a read.
Thanks
@Volamel
for taking the time to sit down and talk about this with me.
Been trying to find time to take care of some personal stuff for... a while.
Today, I let work take a back seat so that I could accomplish it and WOW I feel better.
And the greatest part? To the best of my knowledge nothing is on fire from neglect. 🙌🏼
It's tough to describe what
@MatthewCElmore
brought to the team. More than a coach, he was a leader who challenged and equally supported the guys at each step last year. Always pushing to be better.
Good luck in your next chapter 🫡
Please join us in saying thank you to mCe as we part ways today.
@MatthewCElmore
's guidance was key to our young team's success.
Thank you for imparting your strategic and professional wisdom onto the team and for believing in us from day one.
#ForeverStandingGuard
💜
I can’t remember the last time I was able to fully unplug, even for a weekend.
Appreciate the patience while I catch up on emails/messages from the last week.
Such an important win for us and for me personally.
ggs
@SeoulDynasty
and
@Annie_H_Cho
I’m pretty sure that map 5 took roughly 5 years off my life. Proud of how my team has grown!
Come join us as an Analyst for our VALORANT team!
We're looking for someone who can help improve strategy, develop players, and provide a competitive edge.
Apply now:
#StandGuard
I met
@TydollaOW
in 2018 when I joined GZC and was fortunate to be able to hire him onto the Gladiators last year where he helped the team achieve our first trophy.
He's grown as a coach and leader every year and he should be a priority for any team looking for coaching staff.
From our training days in Korea before the season to working hard on figuring out how to help our team succeed, we are grateful to
@TydollaOW
for his hard work & guidance in leading our team this season.
Thank you for all you have done, we wish you the best.
Thank you
@rknhd
@RamBeauski
and
@Keonttv
for being the best representation of what a team should be.
We were so lucky to be part of your journey and I can’t wait to see what you continue to accomplish 💜
Yesterday was our last day as
@TheGuard
. Proud to officially be part of
#SENCITY
. A dream.
I want to make it clear that The Guard gave us an opportunity to stay and never failed to meet any part of our original agreement and if anything went above and beyond all expectations.