Emmalee 'EMUHLEET' Garrido is the captain of the Team Dignitas female CSGO team. We talked with her about the team’s qualification to ESEA Main, how the strict ESL ruling regarding different squads from the same organization participating in the same tournaments affects them, and her own game and practice regimen.

Last season you qualified for ESEA Main. How do you feel about your recent results? Are they what you expected?

EMUHLLET: We are so happy to have qualified for ESEA Main! We are having a sloppy start to our season, but I think that's because we are using a new player the same week the season started. Now we are slowly seeing improvements and getting our groove back. I kind of expected to not play our full potential at the beginning of the season since we would have to revamp everything with such little time but now that we are all getting comfortable with each other again, I know that we will slowly start to see the results that we are working hard for every day.





How is the team’s spirit and morale at the moment?

EMUHLLET: We are always keeping positive. We know even with some early match losses, as long as we learn from them and grow from them, then we can easily improve and move forward. I originally built this team with wanting a "family" feeling and that's exactly what we still have, so things are good!





Regarding ESL competitions, how do you feel about the rule that only one team per organization can compete?

EMUHLLET: I have mixed feelings about the rule. I think the rule is understandable, however, since it prevents either us or the other CSGO team from competing in a huge ESL event qualifier, I think it is holding us back a little since we want to play in all the qualifiers for any event possible.





You usually scrim and practice against high-level male teams. What differences do you notice when compared to female teams, if any at all?

EMUHLLET: I think the main difference with high-level male teams is they just have a completely different play style. This is better for us to play against the majority of the time because we only play in female-only tournaments about 3-4 times per year, and all year round we play in mixed online leagues, local mixed events, and mixed online qualifiers where our competition is mainly high-level male teams, so it makes sense to keep practicing this way.





How is the team adapting to the recent map pool update (removal of Cobblestone and the addition of Dust2)?

EMUHLLET: We are very excited to be playing Dust 2! It's a great AWP map for me, too, and can't wait to play it in a match!





Personally, how do you usually prepare for a match?

EMUHLLET: I have a strict ritual. Every time before a match I get a chocolate protein shake, and as I'm shaking my shake and drinking it I have to blast the Ayo & Teo - Rolex (Steve Aoki Remix) song in my headset. I kind of get in the groove this way mentally and prepare myself for battle! (My team and I learned the dance moves too!)





What does your daily routine of Counter-Strike consist of?

EMUHLLET: I play a lotttttttttt of CSGO. I wake up kind of early to go to the gym and do my morning routines, but around 2pm or 3pm I find a demo to watch that's relevant to a map that we will be playing for the day. I prepare for practice writing down things I want to review this way, or I will watch a demo from a match/scrim from us. Then I deathmatch for an hour before practice. Then we start practice at 4:30pm, so I play Counter-Strike until 10pm with the team. Then afterwards I do even more deathmatching, I might find a demo to watch later again. And by this time, it's 11pm or midnight and I'll start up my stream only to play more CSGO!





Are you focusing on improving any aspect of your own game right now? If yes, what it is?

EMUHLLET: I'm a perfectionist (thanks to my Dad). There is always something to improve on.





If you had to give a tip to upcoming players aspiring to make a living out of Counter-Strike, what would it be?

EMUHLLET: I'd say try to make friends with other people who have the same goals as you. Play with them a lot, improve with them, stay loyal and humble. These are the people who will help guide you or pick you up when you are falling.





Do you have any final words you would like to say to finish up this interview?

EMUHLLET: Thanks for ALL the support from our friends, family, and fans... seriously you guys rock. Shout out to the Team Dignitas management for always being there for the team and me whenever we need anything.





I would like to thank Emmalee for the time she took to answer these questions. Don’t forget to keep tuned on her social media:

Twitter

Twitch

Facebook