CS2, educational content, & perspective on teaching.
As we step into CS2, my primary content focus remains on two key aspects: 1) Reinforcing fundamental concepts for new players, and 2) Continuing my usual guidance on competitive CS while expanding upon my existing content and Udemy course.
To stay up-to-date, you may have noticed my increasingly consistent uploads in the shorts realm on TikTok and YouTube. I believe this approach will be crucial in reaching out to new players joining the CS franchise, as well as the wider audience. Offering bite-sized content not only provides an easily accessible option for the audience, but it also gives me the opportunity to deliver instructional content in a concise and ideally clear manner. (The image below shows some of my awesome recent content, click on it and then follow/like/comment/donate to my sons 401k)
Regarding the expansion of CS knowledge, my goal is to tackle more advanced and complex topics. For instance, delving into gamesense and understanding timings and the subtle cues that prompt offenses to exploit timing gaps is a captivating conversation for me. Many pro players like s1mple or ZywOo make incredible plays by tapping into their game intuition and acting decisively, entering what can be described as a "flow state." This clip below isnt necessary one the more subtle ones you might see in something like a slow paced a mid-game situation, but still a show of force and game sense nonetheless.
I have personally experienced this phenomenon, and it fascinates me to distill that wealth of information and explain it to others. However, it's important to clarify that even if you understand the how and why behind these concepts, integrating them to the point of mastery is a challenging endeavor. I must admit that while I've glimpsed that feeling at times, players like them achieve the flow state for entire seasons, coupling it with high-end mechanical consistency. The difference lies in the intricate details that few manage to grasp and implement to become true masters at that level. This clip is just one of many examples I had in CS 1.6 of wallbangs and how well versed I was in them — It wasn’t simply knowing the lineups and seeing the map in my mind, it was a culmination of timing and situational awareness. If you want to see the 5th kill there’s another POV version on YouTube, that was also a wallbang!
Now, let me address a misconception: I don't entirely agree with the saying "Those that can, do, and those that can't, teach." I feel I have been able to "do" what the best players in the world do, albeit in shorter bursts. Teaching, on the other hand, is something I genuinely enjoy, and each coaching session or content creation experience helps me discover more about myself. This tangent reflects my mindset when it comes to teaching and what I hope to help people tap into—the realm where fundamental knowledge in areas like CS, rotations, timings, etc., converges with an individual's instinctual ability to manipulate and interact with the status quo on the playing field.
This is all to say that I'm eagerly anticipating the journey of continuing to educate, create content, and learn alongside the CS audience as a whole. I always have an open mind and, in some cases, even need suggestions for content. Questions or ideas from the community often spark new angles for me to explore, providing an opportunity to teach through a different lens. So, don't hesitate to share your thoughts; your input is invaluable in shaping the future of my educational endeavors!
p.s. Those asking if I will compete again - you never know, but with a second child on the way, the circumstances would have to be right. It would be fun to “hop into the server” again, but I have no regrets and would be happy either way. We’ll see how life shapes up over the next several months and if I do decide to do anything, you guys will know - in the meantime, see you on stream!
