Ahead of his teams matches at this weekends DreamHack Open Atlanta event, Peter “stanislaw” Jarguz spoke with VPesports about his time in OpTic, Liquid, and now compLexity, his growth as a player, leader, and person, along with the teams performances and organizations support. The team had a miraculous run at the FACEIT Major in London, shocking all with their Legends Stage run, finally ending in front of a live crowd. compLexity fell to MIBR in the quarterfinals but went home heads held high and a new level of confidence. Since then the team has been looking to find their consistent form and placed fourth at the cs_summit 3 event in Los Angeles, California. stanislaw and co. will be looking to make noise here in Atlanta.

VPesports: You had a pretty bumpy two years, and not just with teams or performances but also with how you were perceived by the community. Now things seem to be settling down with compLexity so looking back, how did you handle the poor results, various teams, and community backlash dating all the way back to the OpTic lineup?

Stanislaw: It is essential in this industry to have the ability to switch off public perceptions and follow your instincts. Every move and decision that I made was done so with careful thought and planning. Dating back all the way to the 2016 OpTic lineup, a combination of struggles between the organization and players and also the way things went at the major made the decision easier to leave. I was eager to join Liquid since they needed an in-game leader and I was excited by their prestige and experience (especially in majors). I received a lot of backlash for leaving OpTic but I had to do what was best for me and I still feel that I made the right decision. Although we didn’t win any big titles in Liquid, I still feel happy about the way we performed over the course of the year. We came 2nd at two prestigious events and constantly challenged on the international stage against the best teams. The next few months after being removed from Liquid was a small blessing in a way; it allowed me to take a small break and rethink things. I lost motivation and drive towards the end of my tenure in Liquid but I have found that again in where I am today at compLexity. With each move and change of team I have been evolving as a player, as a person, and as a leader. I’ve had to put in a lot of work and make a lot of sacrifices but I am thrilled that it has all led me to where I am today. Overall, it is just important to ignore the public’s perception of your decisions because they cannot possibly know all the factors associated with them. You just need to follow your instincts and give everything you have to your current endeavor.

VPesports: As I stated before, compLexity seems to have found its footing a bit since you and ShahZam joined the lineup. Has the experience been what you thought it would be? Did you initially think this roster could work or did you foresee more player changes needing to be made?

Stanislaw: When Shahzam and I first joined compLexity, we were surprised at how well things fit together so quickly. On paper we had a great mixture of experience and role identity, but we knew that it would still take a lot of hard work to get to where we wanted to be. The world saw our potential at the major. We are working hard everyday to return to that level again and establish consistency.

VPesports: You’re in-game leading for some younger and less experienced guys in the form of yay and ADROID. How does that differ in comparison to when you were at the helm of squads like OpTic or Liquid? Does it change anything in your approach?

Stanislaw: My entire approach to being a leader has changed drastically since my times in OpTic and Liquid. In both of those teams, I was a lot more passive and reserved, although my approach to tactics and strategy have always been the same. I am trying my best to develop these players into dynamic teammates, using my experiences from OpTic especially as that was the most dynamic and best team I had ever played on. Looking back to when I first joined the team, I am thrilled at how much they have learned and how far they have come.

VPesports: So I have to ask, what was it like in the compLexity camp during that Major run? From speaking with yay at the Major, things weren’t looking great going in with the results of the team in practice during the EU boot camp. How did you guys from losing almost all scrims to making a run into the final stage? How shocked were you?

Stanislaw: The bootcamp before the major can be said to either have been the worst or best bootcamp we have ever had. It was miserable getting demolished each day by every single team for ten days straight. However, the amount of development and evolution of our team over that small time period made it all worth it. It prepared us both mentally and physically for the major, so I was not really shocked that we made it through the first stage. I was shocked that we made it through to the legends stage because throughout our entire time as a team, we had never shown such a high and consistent level.

VPesports: You guys seem to be keeping your name in the hat for the next team behind Liquid and NRG at the top of the North American scene alongside the likes of Rogue & Cloud9. What do you feel it will take to cement that status?

Stanislaw: To cement our status as the next team behind Liquid I think we just need to continue on the path that we are on. It is all about consistency; the ability to perform in all environments at the same level, whether it is on LAN, online, in North America or Europe. Consistency can only come with time and hard work.

VPesports: Lastly, what’s it like being with compLexity in comparison to your time with previous organizations? Can you feel the difference in being backed by and so close to the Dallas Cowboys organization? Does it affect the atmosphere of the team?

Stanislaw: My time in compLexity has surpassed all of my expectations. In comparison to other organizations and my own personal experiences, they have raised the bar of player treatment far above anyone else. When an organization treats you so well and does everything they can to make you feel at home, you have an obligation to give back everything you have and more. It makes the atmosphere of the team more focused and competitive, knowing that we have a prestigious backing from the Cowboys and a great support system as well.

(Photo: DreamHack)