MGG / Video Games Articles and stories / League of Legends (LoL) /

League of Legends: Polt, LS to coach T1 in 2021

League of Legends: Polt, LS to coach T1 in 2021
0

T1 is signing former StarCraft II and Teamfight Tactics professional player Choi "Polt" Seong-hun as their head coach for 2021, with Nick "LS" De Cesare to assist him especially in draft preparation.

League of Legends: Polt, LS to coach T1 in 2021

Image credits: LoL Esports (LS) / ESL (Polt) - composite

T1, one of the most emblematic organizations across esports, is signing former StarCraft II professional and top-level TeamFight Tactics player Choi "Polt" Seong-hun as their League of Legends head coach for 2021, with coach and color commentator Nick "LS" De Cesare to assist him especially in draft preparation and LoL specific matters. The leak was first reported on reddit.

Screenshot of an accidental leak from Lee 'Effort' Sang-ho's stream, made public by reddit user /u/FuriousDoggo - League of Legends
Screenshot of an accidental leak from Lee "Effort" Sang-ho's stream, made public by reddit user /u/FuriousDoggo

T1's starting support, Lee "Effort" Sang-ho, accidentally leaked the news on stream while reviewing VoDs from the 2020 Worlds matchup between TOP Esports and DRX from the group stage. In a VoD dated Oct. 21, T1's account introduces Polt as the head coach and LS as one of his assistants.

Polt isn't the first player to make the switch from playing StarCraft and StarCraft II to League of Legends, as Kim "kkOma" Jeong-gyun (previously LittleBoy in StarCraft II) stands as the most successful precedent. Other head coach examples include Afreeca Freecs' Choi "iloveoov" Yeon-sung and kt Rolster's Kang "Hirai" Dong-hoon.

Among these former pro players, Polt had the most successful career in StarCraft II with a Triple Crown, a feat that requires consistently high levels of gameplay for an extended period of time. In Polt's case, he was able to win Premier tournaments in Europe, North America and Korea as Terran, and he remained a BlizzCon contender throughout his career until his coming of age for the Korean military service in 2016.

However, his transition to League of Legends coaching comes at a surprising point, as he was asserting himself as a top-tier Teamfight Tactics player - one that broke the meta mid-way through 2020. That is especially noteworthy as he comes without a significant League of Legends background. To that effect, LS's presence may help smoothen Polt's transition into coaching a League of Legends team.

Whether the coaching staff's planned methods would yield fruit, or whether Polt and LS will help T1 reach the heights they occupied on the world stage until 2017 remains to be seen as it is too early to tell. One thing is certain: T1's 2021 season has become significantly interesting after Polt's signing, especially with kkOma's return to South Korea.

0
Adel Chouadria
Adel Chouadria

Freelance esports writer in Europe with eight years of LEC coverage experience. Also a 90's NY Knicks fan, sneakerhead, and wrestling fan. Cake is #1.

More Stories

08:10 LoL: This champion has been dominating soloQ for months and it's not about to stop!
08:06 MOBA's Most Hated Champion Is Also Infuriating TFT Players
10:07 LoL: When does season 13 start?
10:01 K'Santé, the first problem that Riot Games will have to solve in 2023
09:53 What is the best-designed champion? The community has the answer!
09:50 Azir support, the new pick that is all the rage in China
09:50 LoL: Which champions received the most skins in 2022?
10:53 LoL: Would the solution to improve the meta be to remove the nerves on the anti-heal?
10:52 LoL: The patch schedule for season 13
10:53 LoL: The pentakill of the champion who is least likely to do so

Recommended

The best champions for Patch 11.16
League of Legends 2021 World Championship Finals venue and date announced
LoL: 7 questions about Akshan answered by the developers

Discover guides

LoL Guide, Build: Glacial Augment and Electrocute Ahri, Mid, S10
How to Sona Support in S10
League of Legends Transfer Window — From LCK to LPL, Khan joins FPX