LYON Reignover: "It's actually easier to have Dhokla because he is a veteran."

Going into LCS Lock In 2026, LYON had its sights set on establishing itself as a top contender heading into the new season with the addition of former FlyQuest superstar jungler Inspired. Building on their new acquisition, LYON was one of a handful of LCS teams to set up a bootcamp in Korea before the season, as many viewers saw LYON as an LCS contender in 2026. 

Instead, the days leading up to the LCS have been riddled with visa issues and last-minute changes to their team. Initially, LYON was set on fielding young rookie toplaner Zamudo for LCS 2026, but VISA issues forced the team to make a “sudden change” in the toplane.

“As a head coach, you have to manage all of the other stuff outside of the game,” LYON head coach Reignover shared during an interview Strafe Esports on LCS Media Day. “You pretty much have to do more things as a head coach compared to any other position.”

The “sudden” addition of Dhokla to LYON’s lineup

Weeks before the start of the LCS 2026 season, LYON announced that they had acquired veteran toplaner Dhokla as their newest addition, replacing rookie Zamudo. For Reignover, this change was not part of his initial plans for the team. 

“It was definitely a sudden decision we had to make, but I am honestly very satisfied and happy that we’re able to get Dhokla,” Reignover said. “I think Dhokla will fit into our game very easily. I think it is a very sudden decision, but I don’t think it will cause much of a problem.”

Dhokla made his debut on the LCS stage in 2018 as the starting toplaner for OpTic Gaming, where he has established himself as a reliable toplaner in North America. Yet, despite his veteran status in the league, Reignover noted that he would still need guidance to truly fit LYON's initial playstyle for the 2026 season.

“Specifically for Dhokla, we do need to give him some guidance. I have already spoken with him about a lot of things to give him a sense of how we like to play the game and how we’ve been playing in boot camp. So I think he understands the flow of the game that we are playing.”

At the time of the interview, Reignover admitted that the change was “very sudden” to pick up Dhokla due to Zamudo’s visa issues and that the team had yet to practice with Dhokla.

Still, Dhokla’s introduction into the team isn’t something that Reignover is too worried about. In fact, he feels very comfortable making this transition due to Dhokla’s veteran status in the LCS. 

“To be completely honest, it would actually be easier for me to have Dhokla as a toplaner because he is a veteran,” Reignover admitted. “The thing is, we don’t really have that much time because we start our practice quite late compared to other teams, despite us having a bootcamp.”

The pressure of being the head coach

Once a world-class jungler competing on the international stage, Reignover has since found his place transferring his years of experience as a pro player into coaching the next generation of players. For the past three years, his home was with Team Liquid, where he spent most of his time as the secondary leader to the team’s primary head coach, Spawn. 

“I do think there is a bit more pressure to be the head coach, but I have already experienced being both head coach and assistant coach,” Reignover said. “I don’t think there’s too much of a difference in the role. You just do your best and help your players.”

Now, on LYON, establishing the base identity for the team falls solely on him, where his first step as the team’s newest head coach was simply keeping everybody “on the same page”.

“The first bootcamp as a team is all about making sure you are on the same page. Everyone who was here came from a different coaching staff and team.” Reignover said. “You spend a lot of that time talking a lot, playing a lot to make sure you align with your play and see the game as a team.” 

Finding balance to create a successful team environment

He highlighted the mix of figuring out the team’s identity during scrim blocks and taking time to enjoy moments to bond as a team. Whether it was playing soccer or friendly competitions over who was “the worst bowler” on the team, each and every moment as a team is a key factor in managing a successful squad. Managing that balance towards helping LYON achieve successful results in LCS 2026 is the “number one priority” for Reignover.

“Just make sure you manage the team well so that the team can succeed,’ Reignover said. “The number one priority is our team’s performance, and right now, all the environments are pretty ready, and everything is set up pretty well, so I am happy.”

For now, LYON will utilize the remainder of the LCS offseason to prepare for their debut series at LCS 2026 Lock-In. Before closing out the interview, Reignover had one message to the fans before their quest for strong results in the upcoming season.

“I'm thankful for all the fans,” Reignover said. “One thing I'm focusing on is to make sure to show you guys improvement every single game, and hopefully by the playoffs, I will be able to show you guys a very aggressive, successful team that can perform well internationally.”

LYON’s first match will take place on January 26, 2026, against Dignitas. It will be interesting to see whether LYON can bounce back from its struggles during the past season and start the new year on a high note. 

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Featured image credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games