Without sounding too cocky it almost felt like making Worlds every season was a guarantee. It certainly seemed that way. I’ve made Worlds every season, except the last one.

That was also the first time in my career I’ve changed teams.

I was slacking a bit the previous few seasons and it was definitely bringing the team down. I was letting myself go downhill in the scene, and I knew it. I saw being removed from NRG coming. I knew that I had to change my ways, but being removed was definitely a big wake-up call.

There were mixed reactions from the Rocket League community. I think a lot of people were surprised. I had the loudest personality on the team, so I don’t think they were expecting me to be removed. On the other hand, many considered me to be a wildcard and that some weeks I would play out of my mind, and others I wouldn’t perform as well.

It was hard for me to be in a position of finding a new team for the first time ever. I’d been playing with Fireburner since pretty much the beginning of competitive Rocket League, so it was definitely a big challenge for me.

The first team I played with after being released from NRG was eQuinox, who is now Evil Geniuses, at Dreamhack Leipzig. We got knocked out in the quarterfinals, which I thought was respectable considering it was my first time with a new team.

I actually competed against NRG on stage while I was there, and that moment felt surreal. Playing against Fireburner in particular, but also Garrett, was such a different feeling than playing anyone else.

Although back home when I was scrimming with Rogue, we were playing really well together and hanging in there with some of the top teams in North America. After that, it seemed like a no-brainer that I would team with one of my best friends in Rocket League, Sizz.0

I knew when I was removed from NRG I wouldn’t have an easy journey back to the top. It feels like I’m having to pave my own way back there. It’s been weird, and definitely not easy.

Playing for Rogue has been great, but it felt unfamiliar at the beginning. I wasn’t used to being on a new team.

It was definitely an adjustment, and we as a team tried to make the most of it, but it ended up being a struggle. We won early in the season, and made the playoffs, but weren’t able to win a series. So we were stuck at home while others went to London for Worlds.

After not making it in season five I knew I needed to reevaluate where I was at, not just as a player but as a person too.

I’ve become more strict with myself. I’ve really started to set a schedule to stay more disciplined. I’ve been streaming more regularly which has been a big help.

I start my day around the same time to make sure I have enough time to stream during the day, but also to scrim at night. I’ve been making sure to put in the work consistently that I know will make me a top player.

I’ve been enjoying growing my community a lot and streaming is more important to me than it has ever been, but competing will always be my top priority. Although feeling that support has been incredible, and it makes pro play that much more meaningful.

One of the more difficult things about being on Rogue is making the right moves as far as the roster goes. When on NRG the roster moves seemed much easier and more obvious since we were a top team. Since on Rogue we’re not consistently a top seed the roster choices aren’t always the easiest to make.

After last season we knew we had to make a change. After performing well in the first week of league play. Insolences was pretty much avoiding scrims, and Rocket League as a whole.

He was barely putting in the time on his own to maintain the level of success that we as a team were aiming for. We would try and accommodate his schedule to make it work with scrimming, but he wouldn’t work with us and that behaviour couldn’t continue. I thought we could have been a top team in North America as well.

I felt disrespected and I got really frustrated. It really got to me that I was having to rely on Insol to be successful, and I couldn’t. This is the career of my dreams. I had my wake-up call and now I am trying to do everything I can to make it back from the top. I want people who are going to want to get there with me.

I am really excited about this upcoming season. I think we have a really great shot at making LAN. I also think we are going to be able to hang in there with the top teams, and even steal a series or two from them which would feel great.

At the end of the day, even though I was kicked off of NRG there is no bad blood between us. Those guys are still my friends even though we don’t talk as much as we used to. I was cheering for them at Worlds, since I wasn’t competing, and felt so bad for them when they lost.

I want them to succeed, but even more so I want to make it back to the top – where I once was. If I can do it quickly that would be thrilling to me, but I know it’s not going to be easy. I’m in it for the long haul.

Image Credit: Dreamhack, @ZeeboDesigns, Tim Bright, Rogue