It was Wednesday the 21st of March, 2018 and Jay “Sinatraa” Won was making his debut on the Overwatch League stage for the San Francisco Shock, in their match against the Florida Mayhem.

It was my first time ever at the Blizzard Arena, and I distinctly remember sitting in the bleachers, watching the pre-game desk segment where Puckett and the crew made clear just how high the expectations were for Sinatraa’s debut.

As the Shock walked out, I remember the one thought that crossed my mind as Sinatraa made his way down the center to the stage – he looked nervous.

Now, more than a year later, I found myself in an interview with Sinatraa, remembering that day and how nervous he had looked at the time. I asked him if he remembered his debut and how he felt at the time. He physically cringed just recalling the memory. “Yeah I was very, very, very nervous on that day,” he said, with a laugh. “I don’t remember why. I thought I would be fine being on stage, with my experience from the World Cup, but maybe it was all the pressure everyone gave me, on being able to 1v6 as soon as I came in or carry or something…I was literally shaking when I was playing. I remember – it was against Mayhem and I did so bad, and Mayhem were bad so it wasn’t good at the time. So I just felt bad.”

Sinatraa has only grown since that debut. Originally touted as a somewhat solo player in a team-orientated game, he has done a full 180 and become the ultimate team player in a meta that demands good teamwork to succeed. Funnily enough, the high level of teamwork and domination displayed by the Shock has only allowed Sinatraa to improve on a personal level. “In a DPS meta, it’s pretty team orientated but not that much – it’s [also] a lot of mechanical skill. But especially in GOATS, your team matters a lot. You have to have good teamwork. You can literally have six okay players and be the best team in the game. I’m not saying we’re okay, we’re all really good., but if the teamwork isn’t there, then you’re going to be a bad team.”

A year on from his debut, Sinatraa says he feels way more experienced and smarter thanks to coaching staff, headed by Crusty, who joined the team in May of last year. “They taught me how to play with the team instead of just playing for myself, which I did all of season one. I’ve just become a better, smarter player in general.”

When it come’s to Crusty style of coaching, it’s all about how a player individually can support the team in any given circumstance. “His type of coaching is teaching a person to be a leader, but also how to support your team in specific moments. If you know someone is going to be high-value in a team fight, then learn to support that player. Don’t just keep playing for your own value. A lot of teamwork-based stuff.”

It’s clear that Crusty’s coaching has worked – after speaking to several players at the arena this stage and asking which player had impressed them the most or who they were most scared to play against across the season, every player I asked said Sinatraa. Sinatraa was shocked and in slight disbelief when I told him. He asked who the players were, and I wouldn’t tell him, but I did say it was a mix of Western and Korean players. “Oh shit, okay,” he responded. “I mean I honesty didn’t… I didn’t feel like that, but that feels good. Coming into Season Two, my personal goal was just to be a player that people were scared of. Or were like, ‘Oh we have to play against this player, it’s going to be annoying.’ That was just my goal coming into season two. Season one I under-performed a lot, so I’m just happy to hear that.”

Today, the Shock will take on the Florida Mayhem once again, more a year after Sinatraa made his debut in the same match-up. It’s the first time the teams have gone head-to-head this season and Florida will be a facing a very different Sinatraa to the one that took to the stage in March 2018. It’s fair to say that the Mayhem might come away from the match feeling more than shocked at the change.

The San Francisco Shock go up against the Florida Mayhem later today at 5:15pm PST. You can view the full Overwatch League schedule here.

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