LEC Coaching Staff Update

As we approach our final match of Week 1 vs SK, we wanted to share some of the changes we’ve made to the backroom and coaching staff over the offseason in more detail. As you may have seen before our match vs Karmine Corp, we announced that Pablo Vegas ‘Gaax’ Pérez has joined the roster as our newest Assistant Coach.

Joining from academy roster Fnatic TQ, Gaax supported us last year during the LEC Summer Split, Montpellier Season Finals and our Worlds Run in Korea, and we’re beyond excited to have him on the roster in this new capacity. He’s already proven his impact, with his contributions helping us to already lock in hard fought wins over KC and Team Vitality. We asked Gaax some questions just before the split kicked off:

What are you looking to achieve?

Make sure the team plays the best League of Legends in Europe and win LEC.

What is your role within Fnatic?

Everything that is related to the game. Drafts, scouting, reviews, individual coaching…

What have you been up to previously?

Coached in Fnatic Academy for a year and right after that went to help the main team in Summer and Worlds.

Gaax of course works tirelessly alongside Tomáš "Nightshare" Kněžínek, who remains as our Head Coach this Winter Split. His impact and chemistry within the team remains unmatched, and we’re confident that this coaching staff will help push this roster to its absolute full potential, whilst adapting and adjusting around any patch or meta changes. On his ambitions for this new year, he stated: “I want to beat G2, and win the split/splits. To go to MSI & Worlds and do well there”

To continue to push this roster to their highest potential, we’re excited to welcome Ryan Scollan as Performance Lead, joining us on a fixed-term contract until April. Ryan will support both our LEC and VCT squads, driving and supporting a high performance environment and providing world class mentoring for both teams. Ryan joins from Adamas, a performance orientated agency, and brings valuable experience from teams such as 100 Thieves and XL. We want you to get to know Ryan a little better, so we asked him the following:

What are you looking to achieve?

With the support of the Pro Gaming Team and Adamas Esports, my goal is to build a high performance program that delivers success, year after year, and to elevate Fnatic to a level of global dominance across all of our esports titles.

To achieve this, I will focus on developing our talent, culture and systems and ensuring that we have the best processes in place to support our teams to reach their potential. The key for me is to be performance driven in a results-oriented environment. Ultimately, I will be responsible for building sustainable, long-lasting success for Fnatic teams. My goal is to challenge and support everyone here to be 1% better everyday.

What is your role within Fnatic?

Performance Lead. In the short term, I am working hands on as a Performance Coach with both League and Valorant ensuring that coaches and players are supported to optimise their performance. In the long term, I am assessing the Performance infrastructure within Fnatic and developing a High Performance Strategy for Fnatics Pro Gaming Unit.

What have you been up to previously?

I am a sports scientist by trade, I graduated from Loughborough University with a Degree in Sport and Exercise Science. I went on to found and lead a company called Gscience. In 2022 it was Acquired by Adamas Esports (the Global Leader in Health and Performance Coaching for Gamers). Over the last 18 months I stepped into the esports coaching world with Adamas Esports and have since worked with 100Ts, EXCEL and Redbull.

We’re off to a great start to the split from the get go, and we’re excited to introduce these new changes to you. We hope you’ll support our newest members as they put all their efforts into this new season of the LEC, and we hope to bring you even more wins on the Rift over the next weeks.