Canton, NY – Despite only releasing in 2020, Riot Game's Valorant is an esport with viewership numbers rivaling those of games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (2012), Dota 2 (2013), Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege (2015), and even Riot's own League of Legends (2009).

With this in mind, it is no wonder that this title has become popular in the world of collegiate esports. This is especially true here at SUNY Canton where we currently have over twenty active players across our Valorant teams.
 
But why is this game in particular gaining so much traction while other games that are more established like Hearthstone (2014) and even Overwatch (2016) are seeing decreased viewership? To answer this question, we interviewed the coach of SUNY Canton's Valorant (A) team, Justin Brooks.

Justin is not only the coach, but an active player and student himself. Therefore, we were hoping to get his inside perspective on the situation as well as how he and his team operate.
 
Q: What is it about your specific game (Valorant) that you think attracts players? Why is the esports scene so big for this game in particular?
 
A: For Valorant I think the part that attracts most, aside from it being similar to CS (Counter-Strike), is the fact the game is structured. It's built in a way to make the most of any person's individual skill, whether that be mechanics or game sense. As for the scene itself, originally it would be because of it being a CS competitor. However, now that we are three years into the games' cycle and esports lifespan I would say it's more than that. Professional players are idols and people to look up to, as is any esport. For Valorant though the game was built on "CS refugees" and second chances and it's why a lot of people care so much.
 
Q: What have you learned about teamwork from your past experiences on your teams?
 
A: To be brutally honest, esports is young and immature, as are a lot of the players. Most players I've worked with have never played a high school sport, so the sense of teamwork and responsibility is lost on them. Esports games are about being better than another person, and the person who is better is often viewed as the smartest. In some cases, this is correct, that's the ranked mentality. In a team setting though, the best player to lead a team may not be the highest ranked or have the highest kills. The same could be said about receivers and their yardage in football compared to a lineman. Teaching players this skill has been hard but doable.
 
Q: How do you manage your athletic responsibilities and other school/life responsibilities and recreation?
 
A: Between esports and school I find myself doing everything I can to remove responsibility from esports days and take care of those things on off days. Outside of set practices I spend my time watching tournaments and doing homework, as a way of multitasking when I am most capable of handling new information.
 
Q: Before we end, do you have any socials you would like to plug?
 
A: For socials, if you'd like to keep hearing what I have to say about esports follow @theduelest1 on Twitter.
 
 
Spring 2023 Esports Update
Through four weeks of Spring 2023 esports action the SUNY Canton Esports teams have posted a combined record of 42-40. The Roos have teams competing in Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Rainbow Six Siege, Valorant, Rocket League, Overwatch II, Halo Infinite, Hearthstone, League of Legends and COD: MW II in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) play this semester.
 
Meanwhile, SUNY Canton has teams competing in Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Overwatch II, Guilty Gear Strive, Rocket League, COD Warzone, COD MW II and Valorant in State University of New York (SUNY) play for the spring semester.
 
Leading the way through four weeks of action in ECAC play are League of Legends A & B (both 3-1), Rainbow Six Siege (3-1), COD: MW II (3-1), Overwatch II (3-1), Valorant C (3-1) and Hearthstone (3-1).
 
Top performers through the first month of action in SUNY play include Guilty Gear Strive A (3-1), Valorant A (3-1) and Rainbow Six Siege (2-0).
 


About SUNY Canton
As Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's and associate degrees, SUNY Canton delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, management, and healthcare fields. It is home to the Center for Criminal Justice, Intelligence and Cybersecurity. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. As SUNY's leader in online education, SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as 23 online degree programs. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos 15 traditional athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division III level as part of the North Atlantic Conference. SUNY Canton also features varsity esports and cheerleading.