Shoutouts!!!

Hey everyone!For those of you who don't know me, my name is Rory Gilhooly, and I am the Team Manager of HeroesHearth Esports! I have been involved in the Heroes of the Storm Esports scene for about two years now. I started out with creating an organization called Miasma eSports, and we played in Chair League for a while. Our initial roster consisted of AxxMaxxTa, Yunalescka, Peng, Swanky, and myself. I took an inventory of where we stood and craved more competition. I had bigger dreams, I wanted to be a top 8 team and go to LANs. However, there was something bigger than those dreams and that was becoming a podiatrist. I got into a graduate program that would allow myself to gain entry into Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine. I was torn between Esports, and my childhood dream of becoming a physician.I decided to step back from Miasma, run it as an Esports organization, and attend the graduate program. This was my initial exposure into what managing and running an org looked like. It was hard, and it sapped numerous hours out of my day. But, it was worth it. The friends that I made are friends that I will always have and remember. This is where I would like to talk about something important in the Esports scene in HotS.After some months and numerous roster changes, I gave up running Miasma and let Shortsteve run it. I merely managed their scrims, and I was okay with that. Miasma would eventually dry up, and Shortsteve and another person created an organization called LFM Esports. I became the manager for that roster which involved Handlebars, Jin, BBJ, Drated and SoyYossarian. After long talks with Handlebars, I figured out what I did wrong managing Miasma. I became to close to the roster, and I had power over who came and who went. I will touch on managerial power in a later paragraph. So after learning some things, I decided to step back and act in a professional capacity towards the roster. I did not hang out in Discord with them, and I rarely spoke to them, unless there was a scheduling issue. I do not believe this is how managers should be entirely either. LFM's roster wen through changes, people stepped down, and we ultimately did not make it into crucible. Later BBJ and a few other people started up a roster for Phase 2 of HGC Open, and the current iteration of HeroesHearth formed. I am done with the history portion of this blog now!What makes a great manager? I would like to talk about something I brought up before. It is a tough glass to swallow, but managers are not good players or else they would be part of a competitive roster. The manager's goal is schedule the best scrim blocks they can for their team.Outside of the game, a manager can do everything in their power to make sure the team is happy. Is there conflict festering between the members? The manager could, and should, facilitate a conversation between those players. At LANs, the manager is responsible for team morale and making sure the team is where they are supposed to be at any given time. I have not been to a LAN at professional capacity, but I believe that is what their job should be. I could be wrong on that. At the end of the day, a manager can be anything they want, but that is for the roster and manager to discuss what the manager's duties consist of.An important thing for a manager is to fight for their roster tooth and nail to get the best scrim blocks. Maybe another team has a scrim scheduled already, you know your roster wants to scrim that team. You need to convince that other manager that your team is the best scrim they can get. A manager needs to believe in their roster and really work at giving their team the best tools to advance in the competitive scene. A lot of this is about who you know.You will need to ask for favors and that is why it is good to be always communicating with your team what you are scheduling and why you are scheduling the teams you are booking.In the end, a manager is usually an unpaid job. It can go unthanked for a long time, but I have always found it rewarding. I think the HotS scene is great, and at times, it could use a bit more professionalism. However, I am thankful for the opportunities that I have been given, and I hope this piece gave some people insight into being an Esports manager!- Rory "Renal" GilhoolyI would like to thank everyone that I played and worked with during the time Miasma eSports and LFM Esports was running. It was a great run, and I would like to think, after I have some money from podiatry, that I will return to resurrect Miasma.HeroesHearth has been a great experience so far. I love working with all the players, and the organization itself is awesome to be a part of.The HotS scene has been very gracious, and I am glad to be a part of it. I have met some great people, and I hope I can always be a positive force in it. Except when AxxMaxxTa and I are trolling Unranked Draft.To BBJ: You've been a great friend, and I will always have your back. You've come so far in HotS, and I expect to see us both grow in the coming year!To Handlebars: You made a great impact on my work within the HotS scene. I view it as a huge growing experience, and I'm extremely thankful that I can call you my friend. I know you will go on to do great things.To Yitbaus: I am really grateful that we have grown to be friends in the past few months. I believe we'll be able to have a great working relationship and be a positive force in the HotS scene!