Conference One: Interview with Waterloo Coordinator Susan Kuang
With Conference One wrapping up fall Valorant competition a few weeks back, some teams could reflect on how the season went for them. After five round-robin rounds and a heated 20 team playoff, the University of Waterloo team gave some of their reactions to the season-ending. Here is what Susan Kuang had to say about the Fall season for Waterloo.
Kuang was first prompted to question how the team was feeling after exiting during the playoffs. Kuang emphasized, “Despite the fact that our team was out in the playoffs, I think I am speaking on behalf of all the players when I say that we’re still very proud of how far we made given the circumstances, and we’ll definitely come back ten times stronger next season.” The Conference One playoffs were filled with talented teams, and a playoff exit is no joke. Waterloo was able to put together an impressive season despite the earlier-than-liked exit.
One hurdle that Waterloo had to overcome was roster turnover. They had less prep time than most teams due to late roster finalization. Kuang said, “Unfortunately, due to circumstances, the roster was not finalized before deep into fall, so the team had limited time to scrim and practice. However, they still did what they could, so we’re happy with that.” Considering the massive hurdle they overcame, getting to the playoffs was a tremendous accomplishment.
With all of that to overcome, leadership must have been crucial. Kuang brought up someone who stepped immensely during their Conference One play. Kuang emphasized, “Really want to give a shout out to Shyam (Prim). He really stepped up and took leadership. Both motivated the team and took the initiative to set things up. After a tough loss, he is always the first to speak up and try to cheer everyone up and set up chances for the team to come together and talk.” With such high praise, it is no wonder Waterloo was able to rely on him to get to where they ended up.
With all of that being said, Waterloo has a desire to improve. One thing stood out when talking about what they needed to work on. Kuang emphatically said, “Consistency is definitely a big one.” That’s clear and to the point, which will need to be addressed for Waterloo to reach its future goals. Kuang discussed those with, “Honestly, I just want my team to enjoy this process. For many of them, this is their first chance and only time to explore their gaming hobby through a more competitive aspect, and I know that’s meaningful to them.” Waterloo will look to improve in Conference One Spring play.
