T1 Parts Ways with VALORANT Head Coach David Denis
T1 has announced the departure of VALORANT head coach David Denis after a disappointing performance in the VALORANT Champions Tour 2022 Stage Two Challengers. The team expressed gratitude to Denis for his commitment to the team’s mental well-being.
Denis Known for Suspension and Unfair Communication
Denis is best known for his suspension by T1 for cheating during a match against TSM. He was caught typing “help sewers” in the chat, leading to the VCT staff issuing a competitive ruling forfeiting the match due to unauthorized communication with his team.
Denis’s Work in Multiple Esports Titles
Denis has worked in League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and VALORANT. He helped TSM’s VALORANT team achieve second place in the First Strike North America tournament before joining T1 in 2021.
Today, we bid farewell to @DavidDenisnd as Head Coach for #T1VALORANT.
Thank you for your contribution to this journey with us and recognizing the importance of mental health in esports.
Best of luck to you, David! pic.twitter.com/RorS8rfgsX— T1 (@T1) May 13, 2022
Denis’s Contribution to Mental Health Awareness
Denis has been a positive influence on mental health awareness in the esport scene. With a background in clinical practice, he worked with clients who dealt with mental health struggles and were also top performers in esports for 10 years before transitioning to esports.
T1’s Struggle in VCT Circuit
T1 has struggled to find success in the VCT circuit. Although they consistently reached the top eight in last year’s Challengers tournaments, they never made it to Masters. In 2022, other teams surpassed them, including some orgless teams, while T1 seemed to stagnate in their progress.
This year, T1 failed to qualify for the Masters and couldn’t reach the main event bracket. They didn’t qualify for the main event in the first open qualifier of Stage Two, and they were eliminated by VIRTUOSO in the second open qualifier, ending their run for Stage Two.
T1 in Search of New Head Coach
With Denis’s departure, T1 will now seek a new head coach. The organization is also currently missing one player and using stand-in Daniel “eeiu” Vucenovic. Joshua “steel” Nissan will likely take on a larger role as the in-game leader (IGL) in the absence of a coach while the organization searches for a replacement.
Valoran, Esports Coach, T1 Team, VCT Circuit, Mental Health in Esports