Interview With Nabby

Hello Joseph! You recently became the new coach for Team Dignitas. Tell us a little bit yourself.

Hi, my name is Joseph—I also go by nabby. I’m 24 and currently reside in Toronto, Ontario. I’ve been a gamer for as long as I can remember. The first console I really owned myself was a Gameboy Color my parents got me as a gift. I transitioned to PC when I met my friends who were also into gaming.

Do you have experience in other competitive games like Dota, LoL, or CS:GO?

My interest for competitive gaming stemmed from discovery of DotA as a custom map on Warcraft 3. That’s when I started to really look at gaming as more than a casual hobby. With that said, I did play League of Legends from beta semi-competitively. When DotA 2 was announced, my friends and I made the natural transition over to that game. We made an attempt for the amateur scene...unfortunately, we didn’t get too far. I was invited to the beta for Heroes of the Storm, and the more I played it, the more I fell in love with the game.



And here we are.

Why did you decide to apply for a coaching position?

Ideally, I would have loved to play Heroes professionally. That competitive drive still yearns to compete at the highest level. Due to many things, though it was not a commitment I could foresee.



With that said, I continued to play, watch, and enjoy the game at the highest level that was possible for me. When Team Dignitas posted the position, I decided to put myself out there and apply regardless of the odds that may be stacked against me. This was my chance to step into a world I’ve always wanted to be in, and it would be with the team I already highly regarded.

If I understand correctly, even though you were only recently given the official position, you've been been coaching them for a while as a trial. Can you describe the recruitment process for us?

The recruitment process occurred in several stages. The initial application required me sending my resume and trying to sell myself over a paragraph or two. After a couple of weeks, Meph, the squad manager for Team Dignitas, approached a handful of applicants to try and get to know them better. So again, I had to really articulate what kind of things I could provide to the team if given a chance.



Afterwards, a select few were then given a week to work with the team to see if they were the right individual. That was definitely the hardest part. I had to integrate into, learn from, and benefit an already established team setting over a few days.

Can you describe your day to day responsibilities?

The team had an already working and efficient day to day structure. One of the things I was wary of was not disrupting that and making sure that my presence was a positive contribution. My responsibilities comprise of making sure the team is focused on the task at hand, that we are able to effectively discuss a multitude of issues, and continuing to challenge the players.



One thing we’ve also recently started to work on is our team culture—making sure that we are allowing ourselves to be in an environment that would be most beneficial to our goals. This also lets me focus on player stress management.

How much influence do you have over the team? Coaches in traditional sports not only set practice regimes and detect weaknesses but also influence the playstyle of a team. Is that different from the way an esports team works?

I always had the mindset that, if given the opportunity to be part of the team, I would not be actively trying to make big changes in the group. I believe that I should be the one required to curate my coaching practices to what the team needs rather than the opposite, especially when the team has already been well established.



With that said, of course I try to exert a level of influence, but it’s always with a mindset of what the team needs rather than what I need from the team. I think the ideal coach, in any sport, is the one who is able to recognize individual strengths and figure out how to incorporate that into the team.

What do you think are the team's weaknesses at the moment and how are you planning to tackle them?

I think like many top-tier teams, Team Dignitas does not suffer from just one or two large encompassing issues. It’s more smaller issues that can be often overlooked due to their ability to find success. My role as a coach is to recognize and defuse these issues so that we can proceed even stronger than before.

What role does a coach play during a series? Do you have the chance to talk with the team about strategy or mistakes they made or do you just trust the team to perform well?

Due to how the HGC is currently structured, it can be very difficult to assist the team during official matches. My biggest contribution during these series is during our pregame preparations. In between games, my biggest focus is making sure the team is able to reset and refocus for the next map.

Team Dignitas recently qualified for the HGC finals at BlizzCon. How does preparation for a big LAN tournament like BlizzCon differ from training for the regular HGC season?

This is really my first experience in this level. I’m very lucky that the team has been very receptive and their willingness to grow along with me. We are currently in the process of preparing many things to set Team Dignitas towards the right path. The team and I are really ready to live and breathe Heroes of the Storm in preparation for BlizzCon. This is made possible by our fans, sponsors, and especially Team Dignitas.

Thank you for your answers and I wish you and Dignitas luck in the HGC Finals at BlizzCon! Any shoutouts?



First and foremost, I want to thank Team Dignitas and our Heroes team for taking a chance with me. Also, to the fans and supporters—our team would not be here without your dedication. Of course, biggest love to my family and friends for always motivating me and supporting me.

Joseph "nabby" Magdaong is the new coach for Team Dignitas. After a grueling application process, nabby was chosen among dozens of applicants to coach one of the bestteams in the world. We had the pleasure of catching up with him and chatting about who he is, what a coaching position entails, his daily responsibilities, and his future plans for the team.