Memoir of a comeback - The Coach: KRU Atom after KRU esports defeated MIBR

KRU esports has been one of the most successful Valorant teams from LATAM. The team represented LATAM in all of the International Valorant LAN starting from the first one in Reykjavik 2021. Famously, KRU were the team that sent Sentinels home in the Valorant Champions 2022. With such a strong legacy in Valorant, KRU crumbled when they played in the regional league. Playing VCT Americas, KRU esports had the worst record in the Americas and was the only team along with Pacific’s DFM to finish the season without registering a single win. 

But the article won’t be titled “Memoir of a comeback” if this isn’t one. After going 0-9 in the season and missing their first International Valorant LAN, KRU had a lot to prove. Coming into the VCT Americas LCQ, there weren’t a lot of believers in KRU. This was KRU's last chance at maintaining the record of attending all Valorant Champions.  And those who did have to be the hard core fans. But miracles do happen, and this is just the start to one. Facing MIBR in their first game, KRU dominated their opponents. Winning the maps 13-7 and 13-8 respectively. 

After their triumphant victory, Strafe interviewed KRU’s coach Jeorge “Atom” Siero. In an exclusive one-on-one interview, KRU Atom talks about the struggles of KRU during the regular season and the relief of getting off to a good start. Following is the transcript from the interview: 

Q. Congratulations on the win. How are you feeling about the victory?

KRU Atom: “The victory was long overdue. After not being able to secure a game win and struggling with anxiety about the game, about the map, We finally won today. It feels great to win because we faced those feelings, those thoughts, that anxiety too, that used to be suffocative. And finally we were able to win not just the maps but the vetoes. Being able to control, today we told ourselves that we can control this, we can win and not give the value to the anxiety we are not supposed to give.”

Q. The regular season record didn’t do justice to KRU esports’ level at all. Can you elaborate on what you think was the missing piece for KRU, what was the problem that affected the outcomes of the game?

KRU Atom: “We were overthinking our reactions, overthinking what we are supposed to do. As a team we start shooting differently than what we usually do, giving more value to mistakes, to things we do wrong. We were more susceptible to what the rival does, they take some space or force us to do something, our decisions then were not of the same quality as they were supposed to.

All of that is because of the anxiety, all of that is because its hard to go from winning everything in the region last year to a new tournament with the best teams and highest level and then repeatedly losing led to a giant snowball and as I said finally we were able to break that, to break that wall. I think the team is free now.”

Q. What did you guys do to break through the walls of anxiety?

KRU Atom: “It was a lot of things. First of all, we had time to prepare because during the regular season, we were preparing the maps we thought we would play. Now that we had time, we practiced for 31 days. It helps a lot, because the team feels safer, they understand what we are doing and we can control the things we want to do. Also psychological work, this time when we were preparing we also worked on things we are supposed to think, things we are not supposed to think, work with a psychologist and work on our teamwork outside the game.”

Q. KRU absolutely dominated MIBR but towards the end had some trouble closing out. Do you think this might be a concern in future games?

KRU Atom: “I think we know that no match would be easy. All of the teams are really good teams, really high level and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy and we also knew that we’d again face the problems to close the map. We knew that was coming and that we needed to prepare for it. There are series of phrases and words that we say to each other in order to calm ourselves, remind us to breathe”

Q. You’d face FURIA next. Do you feel the preparation time is enough?

KRU Atom: “I try not to think about different formats, because those are the things I can’t control. The way I see it is as at the end of the league you get a reward for winning the games and since we didn’t win any of the matches so it makes sense we are at the bottom of the bracket. So yeah, personally, I prefer to play straight days since we get to play on the momentum. I think the team is prepared for that. We prepared a specific type of lifestyle for this situation because it is hard to play at the time that we play. The team is ready, they are used to the routine, they are used to the schedule and I think tomorrow would be a better day”

Q. What do you think would be the key factor in winning against FURIA?

KRU Atom: “The key factor, I think we are a team that plays our best when we are intense and there is intention behind how we are playing. Today, we proved that we can control and we have the power to decide how to play. I hope this win boosts us and I am confident we will play not only our game but with the freedom of like we won, we can win again”

Q. Who do you think would be KRU esports' biggest challenge against FURIA?

KRU Atom: “I have always admired a lot of Brazilian players. My team, they are really skilled, for me they have the most consistent aim and firepower in the whole world. The troubles same as always dgzin, newzera. For me, that team is stacked with a lot of good players. We try to see every match the same.  The level is high for us for every match, I think anyone can beat us. Tomorrow the biggest challenge would be to play our own game and not let anything else control it.”

The win was just a start for KRU esports, After winning over MIBR, they still had one more elimination game before a fall back of double-elimination. They faced FURIA next and took it up as a challenge. Follow along the series, to read the player interviews after every game and the eventual conclusion which "surprisingly" has KRU making the biggest comeback ever in the history of Valorant. 

Credits: Riot Games // VCT Americas