TL;DR
- No Org, an amateur team with no organizational backing, won the 2021 LCS Proving Grounds Spring tournament
- The victory marked the first major clash between academy and amateur teams in North America
- The roster featured experienced former LCS and academy players seeking redemption
- Their win demonstrates the effectiveness of Riot’s new talent development format
- The success could reshape how organizations approach team building and player development
The 2021 LCS Proving Grounds Spring tournament concluded with a stunning victory by amateur squad No Org, marking a watershed moment for North American League of Legends.
Over three intense weeks, sixteen elite teams battled in this groundbreaking competition that merged LCS academy rosters with top-tier amateur talent. This inaugural event represented the first significant collision between these competitive tiers, delivering numerous unexpected outcomes that challenged conventional wisdom about player development pathways.
Throughout the championship, amateur organizations consistently demonstrated they could compete with—and defeat—established academy programs, culminating in No Org’s decisive 3-1 triumph over Cloud9 Academy in the grand finals.
They found their fight, and they found the win! ????
No Org take the #LCS Proving Grounds, Powered by @Verizon, over @Cloud9 Academy by a score of 3-1.pic.twitter.com/qMhKV7YQxT— LCS (@LCSOfficial) April 26, 2021
Contrary to widespread expectations that an LCS academy team would claim the championship, the tournament unfolded in precisely the opposite direction.
Riot’s structural adjustments to North America’s developmental ecosystem provided amateur squads unprecedented opportunities to showcase previously overlooked talent. The Proving Grounds essentially supplanted traditional NA Academy playoffs, with No Org’s exceptional performance and other promising amateur showings already yielding significant returns on this innovative approach.
Despite competing against powerhouse organizations like Cloud9 Academy, TSM Academy, and Team Liquid Academy, this unfunded, organization-less team achieved what many considered impossible—a complete tournament victory against systematically supported opponents.
No Org maintained dominance throughout most of the competition but suffered a critical setback when Cloud9 Academy knocked them into the lower bracket during round five.
Following their defeat to Cloud9 Academy, it appeared academy teams had finally established tournament control, but this loss ignited competitive fire within No Org. Their elimination match against 100 Thieves Academy resulted in a commanding 3-0 victory, perfectly positioning them for championship redemption. The 3-1 final outcome left no uncertainty about which team performed superiorly, even as Cloud9 Academy nearly extended the series to a fifth game.
No Org’s acquisition of the LCS Proving Grounds trophy potentially signals a fundamental transformation in how North America cultivates and evaluates competitive League of Legends talent.
That’s a Proving Grounds Pentakill!!! ???? @Value247 #LCS pic.twitter.com/vKlsQzW2z8
— LCS (@LCSOfficial) April 25, 2021
Who is No Org?
Although competing as an amateur organization, No Org featured familiar faces within the competitive League community. The team primarily comprised former LCS and academy competitors who hadn’t secured positions with established organizations for the 2021 spring split.
These players united under the No Org banner with the explicit objective of winning the LCS Proving Grounds and leveraging that success to return to professional organizations. With established names like Omran “V1per” Shoura, Andy “AnDa” Hoang, and Aidan “5fire” Reckamp comprising their core, few doubted this roster’s competitive potential. However, prevailing over the tournament’s strongest contenders seemed unlikely given their resource limitations.
WE FUCKING DID IT BOYS GGS WE WON PROVING GROUNDS NO ORG NO SPONSOR NO MONEY JUST 5 SMURF PLAYERS AND A COUPLE OF CRACKED COACHES :DDDDDDDDDDDDD
— 5fire (@5fireleague) April 26, 2021
No Org’s championship achievement not only validates the five competitors’ individual capabilities but also demonstrates that significant accomplishments remain achievable within North America’s revamped developmental structure without LCS organizational affiliation. The outlook for regional talent cultivation appears considerably brighter, as multiple amateur squads delivered impressive performances throughout the Proving Grounds competition.
No Org’s future trajectory remains uncertain, but it’s plausible that most players will secure academy or potentially LCS roster spots when the subsequent split commences. The complete five-player unit might also attract organizational acquisition offers, having exhibited exceptional coordination and synergistic play throughout recent competitive weeks.
Several strategic elements contributed significantly to No Org’s improbable championship run. Their adaptive draft strategies consistently created favorable matchups, while their mid-to-late game teamfighting coordination surpassed more experienced academy opponents. The team demonstrated remarkable mental fortitude, particularly following their lower bracket demotion, showcasing resilience that often develops through competitive adversity.
From a tactical perspective, No Org excelled at identifying opponent weaknesses and exploiting them systematically. Their jungle-mid synergy, facilitated by AnDa and 5fire’s previous competitive experience, provided crucial early game advantages that they translated into mid-game objectives.
Common mistakes amateur teams make include overcommitting to fights without vision control and failing to adapt draft strategies between games. No Org avoided these pitfalls through meticulous preparation and in-series adaptation.
Advanced optimization tips that contributed to their success include developing flexible champion pools, maintaining consistent communication during high-pressure moments, and creating proactive rather than reactive gameplay patterns.
The Proving Grounds format has proven exceptionally effective at bridging the gap between amateur aspirations and professional opportunities. This tournament structure provides measurable benchmarks for player development while offering tangible pathways to higher competitive tiers.
For aspiring competitive players, this victory demonstrates that organizational backing isn’t necessarily prerequisite for competitive success. However, teams should anticipate investing approximately 6-8 weeks of focused practice to develop the coordination No Org demonstrated.
What lies ahead for No Org remains undetermined, but it’s conceivable that most competitors will secure academy or potentially LCS positions when the next competitive split begins. The complete five-member unit might also attract acquisition interest from established organizations, having displayed outstanding coordination and synergistic play throughout recent competitive engagements.
Who plays on No Org?
- Top – Omran “V1per” Shoura
- Jungle – Andy “AnDa” Hoang
- Mid – Aidan “5fire” Reckamp
- Bot – Ross “Value” Luppino
- Support – Terry “Big” Chuong
- Derek “zig” Shao (head coach)
- William “Stunt” Chen (assistant coach)
Action Checklist
- Analyze tournament VODs to identify No Org’s draft patterns and mid-game decision making
- Study individual player champion pools and performance metrics
- Compare No Org’s performance metrics against academy team benchmarks
- Document key teamfight coordination techniques employed throughout the tournament
No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » Who is No Org? Amateur team beats C9, wins LCS Proving Grounds How an amateur League of Legends team defeated LCS academies to win the 2021 Proving Grounds tournament