PNC COACH INTERVIEW: USA

With PNC 2022 around the corner, we’ve been looking closely at each of the 16 nations competing in the upcoming tournament. From their team selection process, to their individual player stats, to their history in international events, we’ve been predicting how we believe teams will perform when nations clash in Bangkok on June 16th. One element of play we have not yet analyzed is each team’s coach. The coach is obviously a critical role in any PUBG match, but they have a particularly difficult challenge heading into PNC. Because most of the players on each team do not normally compete together, coaches will be charged with creating player harmony in a very advanced timeframe. To get an idea of their strategy and approach to this task, we’ve interviewed the four different Americas coaches.  First off is team USA’s Machine Gunner from STK.

How is it to be chosen as your country’s coach for PNC 2022?

It is an honor to be chosen as my country’s coach for PNC 2022. None of my teammates made the roster sadly, but to have players from other teams recognize my skill and abilities as a coach and choose me means more than anyone can imagine. I love my country and to be able to represent it on a stage like PNC is a great feeling.

Can you tell me a little bit about your players?

My players are incredible. This is the first time I’m able to coach other players since I’ve been with my team for so many years. It’s been a learning experience for everyone. We have been doing scrims, I’ve been learning about their strengths and weaknesses, and together we’ve been developing a strategy we believe could win us PNC 2022.

What are your roster’s main strengths?

 My players’ main strengths I believe would be their experience and fragging ability. Everyone on the team has played the game competitively for many years and it really shows in how we communicate with each other.

What are your main roles and responsibilities with regard to the team?

My main role and responsibilities to the team are simple. I am here to take players that have not played together before and turn us into a team with little time. A big part of my strategy is accountability and making sure everyone knows they are just as important as the player sitting next to them. When I coach a team, I try to build a solid core of strategies and develop unit cohesion amongst the players so we can compete at the highest level always.

What are the unique challenges related to coaching a national roster in comparison to a regular team?

The only unique challenge in coaching a national team compared to my own came at the start, and that was just learning each player and how they function. Since we are all on different teams, other than Hwinn and Shrimzy, I have to make sure we are all on the same page and believe in a system that works and functions properly. With STK, because we’ve all been together so long, we have had tons of time to develop these things. With Team USA we are working on the same things, just at an accelerated rate.

How have you been devising your strategy for the event?

We have been devising our strategy for the event by playing scrims together, playing ranked together, and just trying to get more familiar with each other to build a bond and unit cohesion.

Do your tactics differ as the players do not normally compete together? 

Our tactics will differ in some ways because of the different players, but everyone on the team knows how to play the game at the highest level. They know what they need to do to win so it’s been easy to work with these guys and focus on a winning formula for the event.

Is the team gelling well together? How do you build a strong team ethos?

The team is gelling really well together. Although they are enemies when playing against each other on their respective teams, we have all been around the PUBG scene so long we have built friendships outside of the game, and that has helped our team ethos a lot. Everyone likes each other and is excited to play with one another so that has been very helpful.

Tensions can run high at such a big event; how do you ensure the players keep their cool?

Tensions can run very high at a big event and I believe that is one of the primary reasons I was chosen to be head coach. I am very disciplined and was a squad leader in the Marine Corps so I know how to keep people cool when tensions are high and we need to focus on the task at hand. The team has learned very quickly how I like to do things and are all on board for the increased level of discipline and criticism they will receive from me that they may not receive from their regular coach.

Which nations do you think have the strongest players?

I think in the format we are playing you have to watch out for every team. Any team can surprise you since all the players are so good. I think the strongest nations at the event are probably USA, China, Australia, Finland, and Korea. I think those are the most experienced teams at the event and I believe experience and fragging ability is what’s going to win it all.

Do you think different countries/regions have different styles? If so, how? Can you see any rivalries developing amongst the different nations?

I do believe some countries will have different play styles. I think some will focus more on fragging and controlling a side of the zone whereas others will be more comfortable trying to get a good position in the center and working with information from there. I could definitely see rivalries forming in this event with many teams contesting loot spots on the map that they want.

Final Thoughts: Any fan messages, requests for support, or anything else you’d like the community to know?

I just want to say thank you to the fans of Team USA and PUBG in general. My entire team has dedicated the last 5 years of their life to this game, and I know getting picked for this event to represent your country is one of the highest honors in PUBG. So thank you to everyone that supports us and supports the game and has made this amazing moment possible for us. <3

Keep up with the other coaches as we share our interviews with them in the coming weeks, and don’t forget to watch PNC 2022 from June 16-19th.