Photo courtesy of Carter James, Editor in chief By Nethan Crew, Managing editor of production
The Montevallo Esports Team welcomed a new head coach at the beginning of the semester, Aryn Mosley. He is also a veteran of the US Army, husband, father and full-time student pursuing a degree in Computer Science with a minor in Game Studies and Design.
Mosley has always been interested in gaming, but the team aspect is what drew him to esports. “Just like in traditional sports, there’s strategy, coordination and communication happening at every moment,” stated Mosley. “Success isn’t just about individual skill, it’s about how the group works together.”
Mosley cites his background in the army as well as previous experiences as shaping his leadership style. This teaching him the value of discipline, adaptability and teamwork. Mosley stated, “I believe that leadership is about creating an environment where others can succeed. For me, that means listening to players, giving them the tools to grow and guiding them through challenges.”
In terms for goals for the program, Mosley wants to see the team build consistency in their competitions and working to make playoff runs in their leagues. He believes that every game is a chance for the teams to learn and getting one percent better each day will lead to bigger results in the future.
Being both a coach and a full-time student at the university is, debatably, unorthodox. Mosley says it requires good time management, but that “in some ways, being both a student and a coach helps [Mosley] connect with the players better.” He also states that communication about schedule conflicts or changes arising is the key to making sure the esports program still is fulfilled.
Mosley said that the position as the esports coach at UM just came at the right time, stating that he saw the position “as a way to not only help players succeed competitively but also to help the program grow.” Mosley also stated that creating an environment where students felt supported and had the resources to succeed is very important to him.
If you are interested in watching any of the games from the University of Montevallo Esports teams, you can check them out at their Twitch channel listed here:
https://www.twitch.tv/montevalloesports/videos
Nethan Crew is the Managing Editor of Production for The Alabamian. He's a Psychology major and enjoys cooking, camping and listening to new music in his free time.
