Lessons in LAN: Esports Players Take Stage with Pros

On February 22nd, OTSU Esports' League of Legends Varsity team had the incredible opportunity to compete in the Saints Gauntlet Series (SGS 2025)—a League of Legends Tournament, hosted by St. Clair Esports. This new collegiate LAN initiative brought together top teams from Canada and the United States, creating a high-stakes and exciting environment for competition and team development.

The SGS 2025 featured top collegiate teams from Canada and the U.S., including St. Clair Saints (St. Clair College), Fanshawe Fuel (Fanshawe College), Humber Esports (Humber College), Northwood Esports (Northwood University), Oakland Esports (Oakland University), UST Esports (University at St. Thomas), and Converse Esports (Converse University). What made this tournament even more exciting was the ability for our players to go head-to-head against professionals. Some of the competitors included former League Championship Series players like Instinct (Tony Ng), Will (William Cummins), and Kenvi (Shane Kenneth Espinoza), the former players for TSM, 100 Thieves, and Immortals. This was not only an exciting challenge, but it also provided our team with a rare opportunity to test their skills against top-tier opponents.

“This was an enlightening experience. Not only were the teams incredibly skilled, but the event overall felt very cohesive and smooth. Seeing the level of play from ex-pros and aspiring Tier 2 players helped put into perspective how much better teams are at macro and team play. They were always on the same page and had the next two to three steps planned out. ”— Dickson Ou, first year energy engineering student

"Seeing the actual skill levels of ex-pros and top amateurs like Kenvi, Instinct, and Will gave us a clearer understanding of what we need to work on.” said team coach Cheng (Leo) Liang, Alumni, citing that the challenge of competing against high-level players also provided motivation for improvement. “It was also really good for the team to just be able to hang out more in person because we don't get as many chances to do so during the year. Meeting in person does wonders for team chemistry."

For OTSU Esports League of Legends Varsity, SGS 2025 wasn't just another tournament, it was a lesson in teamwork and resilience, as well as a chance to show off their skills. The intensity of the matches while facing some of the best collegiate teams in North America made playing in this LAN a way to strengthen the team's coordination and communication, pushing our players to adapt and grow together.

Reflecting on the experience, Michael Watterworth, who is completing a PhD in health sciences, shared that, "Playing in this high-pressure LAN was a humbling but motivating experience. We got a clearer understanding of where we need to improve, especially in areas like communication, early-game planning, and adapting to opponents' strategies. It was also a great bonding experience—we had fun, kept a positive mindset, and built team chemistry that we can carry into future competitions."

Competing against that level of talent showed us what's possible and gave us a new perspective on the game. We're looking forward to using what we've learned to improve and come back stronger next time!"

The OTSU Esports League of Legends Varsity team is walking away from SGS 2025 with a ton of valuable experience and memories. With this tournament under their belt, the team is more inspired than ever to keep improving and have an even bigger impact in future competitions.