Becoming a Pro in any area revolves around many topics, however, there are few aspects will always be the core to become one.
Have you ever wondered to yourself: “Becoming a pro? Easy. All I need is to reach a high rank and then I will finally be able to compete on the main stage, hearing the crowd cheering and making my mom proud once I win.”
Well, unfortunately, becoming a pro isn’t only about skill — it requires you to have more than that. Here are our top picks for what do you need to have:
1. Reach a high ranking:
First of all the most important thing for you now is understanding of what exactly you need to do. In any competitive eSports game, there will be some kind of ranking system. For example, in League of Legends, you have a Tier based system, you start off as ‘Unranked’ and can reach up to ‘Challenger’.
eSports is a particularly competitive environment (most of the games are open for anyone to play), you would probably have to reach one of the top rankings in the game if you ever wish to get noticed.
Following our League of Legends example, you would have to reach at least Diamond (which is around the top 2.5% players) to show that you are skilled enough in the game.
Increasing your skill cap can be daunting but with proper training programs that allow you to track your progress and work in a way that suits your current skill (both of these are aspects that we in NOVOS call Deliberate Practice), you will be able to improve in a more efficient and controlled manner.
2. Recognition:
Recognition is a huge part of becoming a pro player which does not fall off from reaching a high rank. It gets even more crucial when trying to enter a team in a team-based game like League of Legends or Dota 2.
Being the best in the whole server without anyone recognizing your name in the professional scene will not help you get drafted to the next big team.
Thus, whatever your skill is, always remember to network during your practice time. Contact other high-ranked players, ask them if they know anyone in the competitive scene or even contact lower ranking players who might have connections to the professional scene.
Doing so might make the following scenario occur in a team-based game:
The next time a pro team is in need of a new player, they will look for are either previous pros who are available for drafting or a highly rated player for that role (which could be you!).
3. Chance to prove yourself:
So, you’ve managed to get into the finals in a semi-professional event, scouts and sponsors are watching, this is your moment. This is do-or-die.
For most players who aspire to become pro the pressure is immense, now after so long you have a chance to showcase your abilities in the game, if you manage to finish in one of the high places you’re more likely to be noticed and picked as the next draft or receive a deal for some kind of a sponsorship from a sponsor to help you get into more tournaments. This is a huge springboard to finally become a pro eSports player just like you’ve always dreamed.
Now go and get them Tiger!
