TL;DR
- TSM’s leaked ‘action tracker’ revealed extensive negative reinforcement coaching methods
- Players were tracked for minute mistakes including random deaths, flash usage, and vision control errors
- The team’s poor 2019 performance suggests coaching strategies may be counterproductive
- Alternative positive reinforcement approaches often yield better long-term player development
- Community criticism has shifted toward management decisions and coaching philosophy
During a routine broadcast, TSM’s mid laner Broken Blade unintentionally exposed the organization’s internal performance monitoring system to thousands of viewers.The spreadsheet document meticulously cataloged both daily and weekly error totals committed by team members during training sessions.
This incident provided unprecedented insight into how professional esports organizations approach player development and performance optimization behind closed doors.
Evidence suggests TSM’s coaching staff employs psychological techniques centered on mistake elimination through constant negative feedback. This methodology prioritizes error correction by highlighting even minor imperfections, deliberately creating high-pressure scenarios designed to sharpen player attention and prevent repetition of identified issues.
From a sports psychology perspective, this approach can trigger heightened situational awareness but risks creating performance anxiety that undermines creative playmaking. Professional coaches in traditional sports often balance negative reinforcement with confidence-building techniques to maintain player morale.
Competitors receive comprehensive weekly reports detailing frequency counts for various performance errors including untimely deaths, inefficient summoner spell usage, vision control failures, and overly aggressive map movements without team coordination.
Daily performance reviews include precise timestamps enabling players to review exact moments where critical mistakes occurred during matches. This granular level of tracking allows for specific incident review but may encourage risk-averse playstyles that sacrifice game-winning opportunities.
While negative reinforcement techniques can be effective in moderation, many esports analysts advocate for balanced coaching methodologies. Rather than exclusively documenting errors, effective coaches typically emphasize corrective action plans and positive reinforcement for improved decision-making.
Progressive coaching frameworks focus on building player confidence through achievement recognition while still addressing performance gaps. TSM might be utilizing collected data to develop more constructive training interventions rather than solely criticizing player mistakes.
Whether this represents TSM’s exclusive coaching documentation remains uncertain, but recent team results indicate current methods haven’t produced desired outcomes. Despite securing fourth position in the LCS regular season, the squad dropped critical matches against lower-ranked opponents like 100 Thieves and hasn’t maintained championship contention levels since their spring finals defeat.
TSM earned a Summer Playoffs position with a 10-8 record, but their postseason advancement halted abruptly with a quarterfinals elimination by Clutch Gaming, resulting in a tied fifth-place finish with Optic Gaming. Supporters now hold minimal expectations for the organization’s participation in the 2019 World Championship tournament.
The roster appears increasingly fragmented under competitive pressures and elevated fan expectations, with community criticism now directed primarily at TSM’s leadership decisions and strategic direction.
Action Checklist
- Review and balance negative reinforcement with positive achievement recognition
- Implement player confidence-building exercises alongside technical training
- Develop corrective action plans rather than simply tracking mistake frequencies
- Create balanced performance metrics that reward positive plays alongside error reduction
No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » Broken Blade accidentally reveals private TSM “mistake sheet” Analyzing TSM's controversial coaching methods and their impact on team performance in competitive League of Legends