CANTON — As the season is drawing an end in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) play, SUNY Canton's Overwatch II and Rainbow Six Siege A teams picked up first round wins in their playoffs while Teamfight Tactics are set to battle it out this week in the semifinals.

Meanwhile in State University of New York (SUNY) play, Guilty Gear Strive sits in second place out of all the SUNY schools with 18 wins and just three losses.

SUNY Canton's teams will look to couple strategy and teamwork as they hope to reach finals this year and take home the trophy.

Everyone knows it's not easy to reach the playoffs so that's why we decided to sit down and talk with Overwatch II Coach Austin Kubo as well as player John Yunger IV to see how the team managed to make it to the playoffs and pick up a first round victory. 

Q: What made you to want to play Overwatch competitively in Esports? 

Austin: When I first started playing ranked in Overwatch there was eventually this want to take it to the next step after realizing there was an enjoyment from being able to prove yourself to other people and earn that respect on this larger scale where your personality and skill is put out there for the test. 

John: Overwatch was the first game I found myself being better than the average player. It was a shooter where not only mechanics were important, but game sense was arguably more important. I also found the team play in the game to be much more rewarding than a game like Call of Duty. Esports was my way of being part of a team, since I wasn't good enough for any physical sports teams. 

 Q: How often does your team practice and how long does it go for? 

Austin: Overwatch A and B teams both practice from 6 p.m. up until their matches that start at 8 p.m. 

John: We practice twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays 6-8 p.m. These are the scheduled practices, but we occasionally meet outside of these times for game reviews or further scrims.

Q: How does your team strategize and adapt to the evolving meta of Overwatch? 

Austin: By utilizing things like social media and playing ranked when patches are new, we're able to keep ahead of the curve of what these changing metas are. 

John: I often find it more valuable to practice and adapt by learning how to counter the meta, rather than play it directly. Especially as the tank player on the team, there is no way I can play all 12 tanks to my fullest potential. It's easier to master half or less of the roster and learn how to play against stronger picks, because the player has more impact than the hero selection. I can't speak for all of my team, but it feels easier to counter the meta on heroes I'm already comfortable with than potentially play a hero that I'm unfamiliar with.

 Q: In your opinion which role in Overwatch 2 do you think is the most important?

 Austin: Right now damage is the most important role. This is mostly because of the new passives where DPS can apply their own anti heal and be able to heal while out of combat. The antireal allows DPS to pick first target in fights and pick where fights starts while the healing passive allows them to position and set up much easier than they were allowed to before because of the fact any poke taken while setting up will be passive healed away instead of forcing that DPS to reposition towards a health pack or a less open position. 

John: I find it very hard to compare the roles between each other, but if I had to pick it would be support. Most heroes are not self-sufficient and in a game where healing is prevalent and planned around, sustain is incredibly important. The support roster also boasts some of the best ultimates in the game and it's not even close on top of the fact that some supports are also proficient in dealing damage and healing. 

Q: What role or hero do you feel most comfortable playing in competitive matches, and why?

John: I am most comfortable on tank, as it feels like I can have the most control over my games, and it's the role I started on, and it is my best by far. Most tank heroes do still require aim, but positioning, planning, and game sense go much further. I find it much more rewarding knowing I outplayed my opponents, and it wasn't because I clicked on three heads. 

Q: How do you handle the pressure and stress of an intense match, especially during crucial moments in a match? 

Austin: During matches where tensions or stress begin to rise I try to focus on each map as we're playing them and push away from thinking or talking about the score. What are the goals to win the match we're in right now rather than focusing on why we lost something previously.

John: The best thing I can do for my team is to just focus on what we can do better and try not to directly compare ourselves to the other team. There is always something we can do mid match to improve, and making sure comms are clear and my teammates are coolheaded is key. Otherwise, I try on my end to keep my emotions in check and off to the side during the match, because getting upset or mad doesn't accomplish anything. It's best to take a rational approach and ask why something happened, rather than get mad and shut down. 

Q: What do you think sets apart a great Overwatch player from a good one?

Austin: Good players are ones that understand how the game works (knowing your heroes, abilities, maps, etc.), have good/great mechanics, and can keep with the meta. Great players are ones who have all the previous attributes but with the ability to recognize and adapt to mistakes that both teammates and enemies make in the moment. 

John: Communication and mental. Being able to clearly communicate what you want to do, and being able to take it if it doesn't work out is so important. Obviously, we're all human and have emotions, but if you're able to control your mental and keep playing, you'll go farther than most in this game. 

Q: How important is teamwork and communication in Overwatch 2? 

Austin: Extremely, most win conditions heavily rely on timing and making sure every player knows where the fight is going to be and what enemies need to be there for the fight to start. There is often only a few second window for these win conditions, so communication is key to knowing the when and the where for every one of these team fights before they even start. 

John: Teamwork and communication are two of the most essential skills to winning in this game. Ranks often don't matter in collegiate tournaments, as team play brings much more to the table than doing good in ranked. A gold team that knows how to communicate and play as a team probably would have a shot at a much higher team if they were all solo and not communicating. 

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring Overwatch players looking to break into the esports scene? 

Austin: Put your face out there, take risks, get experience that's not just ranked. Try out for and join teams even if you feel you may be too good for them or may not be good enough for them. 

John: Quality > quantity when it comes to playtime. Playing 10+ hours a day is not only a big cause of burnout but can also put strain on both you and your body. Overwatch should not be the priority for you, even as an esports player. Family, friends, and taking care of yourself physically and mentally while slowly improving is the best formula for success. A smaller bit of advice would also be that grinding ranked all day also won't do as much for you as you think. Having a high rank is cool, but it can be accomplished over time while you learn more both inside and outside of playtime. 

Q: How do you balance your gaming career with other aspects of your life, such as school work and self-care? 

John: Like I mentioned in the previous question, schoolwork and you should almost always come first. For me, I know when my practices are, so I complete my studies beforehand, and then go to the gym after, and I keep this schedule regularly. My team practices are when the priority for Overwatch comes, but playtime outside of that is optional and only comes after my other responsibilities are completed.

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