TL;DR
- LCS teams failed to advance from Worlds 2019 groups, marking worst NA performance since 2015
- Amazing identifies ‘too many coaches and analysts’ as core problem, creating player alienation
- Flatter organizational structures with increased player autonomy offer potential solution
- Strategic rebuilding around key players while maintaining some organizational support reduces risk
- Proven success in other regions suggests this approach could revitalize NA competitive scene
Maurice “Amazing” Stückenschneider, veteran jungler for 100 Thieves, presents a compelling analysis of North America’s competitive shortcomings in League of Legends and proposes actionable solutions.
The 2019 League of Legends World Championship delivered a devastating blow to North American aspirations, with every LCS representative eliminated during group stages. This outcome represents the region’s most disappointing international showing in four years, matching only the 2015 failure in tournament history.
This underwhelming performance starkly contrasts with the region’s substantial financial investments and deep talent pool, prompting widespread community debate about necessary reforms. Through a detailed twitter thread, Amazing pinpointed excessive staffing in team environments as a fundamental issue, advocating for a back-to-basics methodology.
“North American organizations suffer from a systemic problem of excessive coaching and analytical staff undermining player development,” Amazing explained. “This over-analysis combined with limited player autonomy creates psychological distance from competitive outcomes.”
The veteran jungler, drawing from eight years of professional experience across multiple regions, identified a troubling pattern: “I’ve monitored this development for several seasons, where NA’s primary advantage—financial resources—paradoxically transformed into its greatest liability through increased top-down management control.”
This analysis aligns with observable trends where teams with simpler coaching structures often demonstrate better in-game adaptation and strategic flexibility during high-pressure international competitions.
Strategic Rebuilding: Player-Centric Team Environments
While acknowledging implementation risks, Amazing champions a streamlined competitive approach emphasizing fundamental gameplay mastery. This philosophy centers on enhanced player participation in strategic planning and tactical decision-making processes.
“The foundation involves establishing flatter organizational hierarchies to strengthen connection with competitive results,” he elaborated. “However, completely eliminating existing support structures carries significant organizational danger. The optimal path likely involves creating competitive isolation for the core team while reconstructing around foundational players.”
This methodology mirrors successful approaches in other competitive ecosystems where player-driven innovation and organic strategy development have produced sustained international success.
Successful implementation requires phased transitions rather than abrupt organizational overhauls. Teams should begin by granting players increased responsibility for specific strategic domains while maintaining analytical support for data interpretation rather than decision-making.
Common implementation mistakes include completely eliminating coaching staff rather than redefining roles, or providing autonomy without establishing clear decision-making frameworks. Teams should establish measurable success metrics including in-game adaptation speed, strategic innovation rates, and player satisfaction indicators.
Amazing brings extensive competitive credibility to this discussion, having competed professionally since 2012. His career includes jungling for Team SoloMid in 2014, competitive tenures with LEC organizations Fnatic and FC Schalke 04, before returning to North America with 100 Thieves. His achievements encompass multiple domestic championships, IEM Season X San Jose victory, and an impressive top-four placement at the 2015 World Championship.
For teams looking to implement similar structural improvements, our Class Guide provides valuable insights into role-specific decision-making frameworks that could inform similar autonomy structures in League of Legends.
Action Checklist
- Conduct organizational audit to identify redundant coaching layers and decision-making bottlenecks
- Establish clear domains of player autonomy for strategic development and in-game decision-making
- Implement flatter communication structures with direct player-access to essential resources
- Develop metrics to measure adaptation speed, strategic innovation, and player engagement
- Create isolation periods for core competitive team to develop organic strategies without external interference
No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » Amazing has some bright ideas for improving NA LoL and LCS teams Pro jungler Amazing reveals how player autonomy and simplified coaching structures could revitalize North American League of Legends