I’m going to say something that might feel uncomfortable for you, coach.

A lot of esports coaches think they’re way better than they actually are.

(is that your ego talking already? Justifying and protecting itself already?)

Or do you have the mindset of being humble, that you already know a lot, and can still learn a lot at the same time?

Not because you're arrogant.
Not because you don’t care.
But because you genuinely don’t know what real coaching mastery looks like.

There’s a psychological reason for that. It’s called the Dunning–Kruger effect.

You've probably heard about it, and hear me out, before you decide you are not affected by it... just yet..

What is the Dunning-Kruger effect?

When you know very little about something, you often feel extremely confident about it. Because you don’t yet see the depth of what you don’t know.

I’ve seen this pattern over and over in esports.

A coach reads a few books.
Picks up some performance terminology.
Listens to a couple of podcasts.
Has good energy.
Builds strong relationships.

The biggest thing that makes them appear great coaches or effective is their game knowledge, NOT their coaching skills...

And suddenly, they believe they’re highly effective.

If you'd remove your game knowledge, pretend you are coaching a game you've never played. What is left of your coaching? That is usually a good measurement on how you can influence your players with your skills.

But when I sit down and really break their coaching apart with them, it’s a different story.

I look at how they structure practice.
How they design feedback loops.
How they structure their practices.
How they engage and interact with players.
How they solve issues.
How they measure improvement.
How they respond under pressure.
How they build accountability.
How they shape habits.
How they create psychological safety without lowering standards.

Most of the time, there’s no clear system.
No measurable skill progression.
No consistent performance outcomes.
No clear and defined solutions for recurring challenges and problems.

Most of it is truly just effort.
Stressing over strategies and tactics
Good intentions.
And vibes.

Coach mastery is knowing that every interaction, every sentence, and word matters, and that you have influence over the situation (not control!) That you can always add a positive effect on the environment and influence the development of better-performing behavior.

Are you aware of every word and action that you do? Not that you can justify it, but actually know what is behind every word and sentence?

Let me be clear. I respect the intention. I respect anyone who steps up and wants to lead players.

But intention is not the same as impact.

If results depend on your mood that day, that’s not coaching mastery.
If improvement is random, that’s not a development system.
If you can’t clearly explain why something works, you’re guessing.

That realization can hurt.

I’ve been there myself.

The moment you realize you’re standing on the peak of ignorance is brutal. Your ego will feel it. And we've all been there. You suddenly see how shallow your understanding actually is. But that moment is also powerful. Because now growth becomes real.

This is exactly why Next Level Esports exists.

To help professionalize esports by training the best coaches.

Not to call coaches out.
But to call them up.

Esports is still young. There was no roadmap. No real education path. Most coaches had to figure it out on their own.

But at some point, we have to raise the standard.

Your players deserve more than hype talks.
They deserve structured development.
They deserve a performance climate that works even when motivation drops.
They deserve a coach who is skilled, not just passionate.

And here’s the good news.

Once you see the gap, you can close it.
Once you admit you don’t know enough, you finally start learning at the right level.
Once competence rises, confidence becomes quiet and powerful.

You wanted to be the hero for your players when you started.

So become one.

Not through vibes.
Through mastery.

if you want to take a look at some fundamental skills you want to have as an esports coach, and want to check where you are?

Join the NLE Discord server and grab the free Esports Coach-Skill Matrix, where you can evaluate yourself on what level you are operating, what you are doing well, and what you are still missing to have more impact.

Join the Discord here:
https://discord.gg/nXRYFszNGz