History is made as the George Brown Huskies announce Julian Escobar Echeverri as the first-ever Head Coach of the Esports team, effective immediately.
“I am very excited about the opportunity. I've been thinking about the coaching role for more than a month, and it's an honor to be part of the college history as the first Esports Head Coach,” he explained.
Coach Escobar Echeverri takes over a program that finished its first season competing in League of Legends under the guidance of a faculty advisor. He was a student-athlete competing for the Huskies this past semester. His main role as jungler played a critical role in the team finishing 4-2 and just short of the playoffs. Echeverri’s experience includes several years of professional play.
“I believe my experience as a pro player and as part of the varsity team will help me to understand what the team needs,” he explained. “Having both perspectives is an advantage for making a bridge between the amateur scene and the pro scene.”
The Huskies officially named Esports a varsity team in January of this year. League of Legends is a team-based strategy game where two teams of five champions battle to destroy the other’s base. There are 140 champions that student-athletes can choose from to take down towers, destroy enemies and buy items on the road to victory.
"We are very excited to enter this new realm of Varsity competition and recognize these players as Husky Athletes with the same expectations to put forth a strong effort both in competition and in the classroom," said Manager of Athletics & Recreation, Joe Stapleton. "Esports is quickly growing in the post-secondary varsity space and we are excited George Brown is part of the community. We believe that Esports will give more students an opportunity to experience all the benefits of being a Husky Varsity Athlete. With Coach Julian at the helm, and the pro experience he brings, we are confident the program will have great success."
The type of culture that I want to instill is a mix between a team culture and a functional culture. Of course, teamwork is by far the most important skill for me but doing it optimally is the challenge that I want to take,” Escobar Echeverri explained. “I hope to bring stability and confidence to the team, I want my players to believe in themselves and exploit all the potential that they have.”
Being the first coach to taking on a new program will come with learning and challenges, but he has his goals set and will have the Huskies ready in September when the 2022 season begins.
“My short-term goals are to define the starting roster, find the best training method for the current lineup and reach playoffs in the tournaments,” he explained. “The long-term goals are to have a defined structure as a team, so the team won't get affected when players leave the team, reach at least playoffs in NACE or CSL and possibly win the championship.
For more information on George Brown Esports, contact Huskies Varsity Coordinator Mark Couch at mark.couch@georgebrown.ca. If you're interested in possibly joining the team, fill out the Registration Form.
