Counter Strike Confederation

Why do you want to become an Admin?

I want to continue my involvement in CSC on a deeper level, now with more experience across the community than ever. I want to further the great improvements that the current admins have made, bringing new perspectives and another fresh face as someone who joined last year.

What prior experience do you have that you believe will help you as an Admin?

I have been GM for 1 season, AGM for 2, arbiter for 3 seasons with 2 seasons as head. I've been in multiple tiers within CSC, allowing me to see perspectives from different players across the community. I have been in CSC for going on 5 seasons, starting in S7. I've been the IGL/captain of almost all of my CSC teams, bringing in successful results in multiple seasons.

What things do you hope to implement, reinforce, or remove as an Admin.

The current admins have done a great job with transparency between themselves and the league, and I'd hope to continue that trend. The overall organization of CSC has improved tremendously since I've joined, and I want that to continue improving as well. I would want to do my best to help plan out and implement the new ideas that current and future admins come up with, staying active all over CSC.

Personally, I want to implement more and better relations between the players and staff, as I feel that a gap forms between them for different reasons. Having better communication and better relations with the players would allow all members of staff to have a better grasp at what the entire community wants to commit to or work towards, rather than just a select few that speak out or become staff members themselves.

Anything else you would like to add? I'm looking forward to answering everyone's questions! (edited)

@ATL | omA 🏆

What is the most important conversation you intend to bring to the round table of CSC? You mention improving communication/relations between staff and players, what actionable ideas do you think can be implemented? What is your favorite Pokémon? I love you, do you love me?

What ideas or goals, if any, do you have with regards to the premiere tier?

Hi Owen! What do you think is the biggest cause for the perceived gap between staff and non-staff in the community and do you have an idea on how to bridge that gap? Is it primarily a communication gap or is there something else? *Additional Question Based on League Discussion today, there seems to be an issue of inactive staff in some committees do you think this contributes to the gap? If so how could this be mitigated? Best of luck!! (edited)

Are there any existing aspects of CSC that you think should be removed/heavily modified?

Heyo Owen You've said that admins have done a good job with improving transparency with the league, and would like to continue that trend. What areas for growth or improvement do you still see for improving transparency?

You mentioned you think the current admins have done a good job improving transparency between themselves and the league. Many don't feel that way, but regardless of what people believe, my question is twofold. First, what makes you different, why should we expect accountability and transparency being made a priority by you as opposed to the other candidates? Second, like it or not, you'll be on a team with some of the current admins. Some of them and some of the others running for election/re-election do not place a priority on admin accountability/transparency. How will you make sure that, even if hindered by your fellow admins, you still make sure this practice is followed not just for yourself but for our admin team as a whole?

How prepared/confident do you feel to handle the difficulties that are involved when CS2 is released during your term? (edited)

Do you think bending to help one tier is a slippery slope?? And if you don’t then what stops Elite players to ask for different days if they play on the same IM teams that premier players do? What would be your answer to Elite tier wanting autonomy of their tiers schedule??

GAS | Stynky

What is the most important conversation you intend to bring to the round table of CSC? You mention improving communication/relations between staff and players, what actionable ideas do you think can be implemented? What is your favorite Pokémon? I love you, do you love me?

For me, I want to go deep into the staff side of CSC, making sure that we're actively pursuing improvement and change when necessary. Be it a public or private matter, seeing important committees that are integral to our general function as a community stagnate is a bad sign. That being said, I think that for the most part those committees have been doing a great job the past season. When I brought up improving the communication and relations between staff and players, I felt like an improvement directly in communication would lead to improved relations. That being said, I think that all committees could do something similar to the #admin-updates channel, where any major changes, ideas, or concerns can be shared with the public. For more technical and "higher level" committees, like tech, numbers, and potentially even mods, I feel as though it would shed more light on what the committee's focus is, allowing the public to gauge their interest or approval of said ideas, concerns, etc. Getting the general public more involved from the outside would also allow others to learn how these committees functioned, which might lead to more people being interested in the position themselves or lead to a general understanding between said committee and the public. Alongside this, having something along the lines of a mid-season check for the staff positions themselves could help with the current issues. Making sure that we keep active members involved may very well improve relations easily, as seeing active change or improvements to the committee and things that surround it can make the public more confident in their actions going forward. From personal experience, I've found that at times there's an issue with the "active" members of a committee becoming very lax in their position, be it that they're not supportive of change or aren't adding anything to the committee themselves, which is a quick way to stagnate and kill a portion of our community. Keeping active staff members would boost moral internally as well, as seeing new people who want to work and make change will most definitely get the ball rolling for many of those committees. As for the last 2 questions, my favorite Pokémon is a tie between Slowking and Trubbish, and yes, I do love you too Jack.

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djtl

What ideas or goals, if any, do you have with regards to the premiere tier?

There have been plenty of ideas and solutions brought up across the entirety of CSC, so I think that there are a few things to acknowledge before talking about how I personally would handle the issues. First off, it's been said many times that we are not intending to become a direct competitor to ESEA. I agree with this wholeheartedly, as I think trying to compete with a behemoth such as ESEA would be nearly impossible for us. Second, I think making major changes to the other tiers to accomodate Premier is a horrible pit to fall into. Potentially ruining the experience of other tiers to fix 1 tier is never worth it, and from players I've spoken to myself, they would hate to be forced into Premier by something like a tier-line shift. With that out of the way, I think making Premier MD a different day of the week wouldn't be a bad start/idea. It not only caters to those who are interested in doing both, but it allows for a highlight of Premier in terms of media. Having Premier MD be on something like Friday could open up the availability for lots of casters and observers in Media who can't participate otherwise, simply because they're actively playing on normal MDs. It gets us more consistent streams, and being able to show off the highest skill level we have to offer could bring in more players to our community. Another solution or improvement to Premier's situation would be an activity check for (P)FAs. For teams in Premier that are looking to make changes to their team or mix things up, being able to see or know who is actively interested in playing could drastically improve the overall experience and games in Premier. It would also hopefully decrease FFWs/FFLs that happen simply due to lack of players to sub in and out. Overall, I'd like it to be an open discussion with both the Admin team, GMs, and Premier players, as I think having a positive response from the majority is necessary when making a potentially large overhaul to any tier.

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WET | sletong

Hi Owen! What do you think is the biggest cause for the perceived gap between staff and non-staff in the community and do you have an idea on how to bridge that gap? Is it primarily a communication gap or is there something else? *Additional Question Based on League Discussion today, there seems to be an issue of inactive staff in some committees do you think this contributes to the gap? If so how could this be mitigated? Best of luck!! (edited)

Hi sletong! I mentioned it in my response to Synky, but I think the large gap resides in the lack of communication for different committees, along with a lack of overall activity from the staff themselves. Lacking activity in a committee doesn't allow for any growth, and takes away from the potential improvements that can be had. I think it's extremely important for members in a committee to remain active; bringing in change or improvements will bring up the entire community, and as I said previously, being transparent about such changes would also fix the current gap we have. I feel as though most members of the community find there to be a gap due to the secrecy or lack of public information from different committees, and mitigating that gap would bring in more trust to the staff within CSC. With more trust, I also feel like more change would be accepted or at least considered. If there's no trust in a committee or staff position, if major and potentially risky change is suggested by them, it's less likely that the public will be open to the change. With trust to back them up, more ideas and change can be implemented throughout the community, thus bolstering CSC as a whole. Thank you for the luck and the question!

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ATL | RedondO 🏆

Are there any existing aspects of CSC that you think should be removed/heavily modified?

I’ve been thinking on your question for the past couple of hours, and as it stands, there’s nothing with major issues that I personally see the need to completely overhaul or remove. However, I’m not against any big changes if brought up by other admins/staff/community members, as I find it important to consider all ideas that we get in CSC (regardless of my support). For now I’ll say that I don’t have anything else to add, but if I think of something I reply again with another answer. (edited)

What are some things you enjoy about CSC? What would you advise to players who have been discouraged by their CSC experience?

TFR | 42Firehawk

Heyo Owen You've said that admins have done a good job with improving transparency with the league, and would like to continue that trend. What areas for growth or improvement do you still see for improving transparency?

Hey Firehawk! I think that the use of the #admin-updates channel more would greatly improve transparency even further, as it keeps the community in the loop on what's going on more frequently. I remember seeing one of the current admins explain that it sees less use as the season goes on as we make most of our changes and updates in combines and preseason, which I completely understand and do expect there to be more use. However, mentioning a current topic of discussion for admins to the channel whenever possible would be greatly appreciated by many people within CSC. Other than using that channel more, I think having more Town Halls would be a great idea, as it allows members of the community to ask admins directly about pressing matters or general questions they have. Yet again, even if it's not a major change, anything that can be shared with the public not only shows transparency but also helps get everyone more involved with the future of our league.

NAN | GREG0ROVITCH 🏆

You mentioned you think the current admins have done a good job improving transparency between themselves and the league. Many don't feel that way, but regardless of what people believe, my question is twofold. First, what makes you different, why should we expect accountability and transparency being made a priority by you as opposed to the other candidates? Second, like it or not, you'll be on a team with some of the current admins. Some of them and some of the others running for election/re-election do not place a priority on admin accountability/transparency. How will you make sure that, even if hindered by your fellow admins, you still make sure this practice is followed not just for yourself but for our admin team as a whole?

Hi Greg! I've mentioned my thoughts about transparency in a few other responses here, specifically to sletong and Firehawk if you'd like to check out those replies. As for why I'm different, I believe that it's a major goal of mine to implement across all of CSC. I know it's been mentioned by many other current admins, former admins, and current candidates, but I've talked extensively about my approach to the situation and why I want to increase the transparency. In regards to reaching said goals regardless of my fellow admins, I plan on being very on top of my personal goals, as to make sure that they're achieved. With an increase in transparency being among said goals, it's not something I'll be putting on the back-burner once I have the time to get some personal admin things done. I want to change the frequency that both Town Halls and #admin-updates are used, since those benefit both the public and the admins greatly, as they help to keep admins accountable for the promises and goals they set. I also plan on doing my best to get all the admins on the same page, making sure that we all understand each other's goals for the upcoming season, as not to step on others' toes but to also give everyone the appropriate space to do what they'd like to do.

PFA | xXx_legeNd_xXx_420

How prepared/confident do you feel to handle the difficulties that are involved when CS2 is released during your term? (edited)

While I myself am not the most technical, I feel that being able to have the admin team work closely with the tech committee will be able to help greatly with the upcoming changes that we'll see to CSGO. Personally, I will be sitting down with the admins as the potential launch time approaches to set multiple plans in action to cover as many bases as we possibly can to assure the smoothest transition that we can. I can't give much on specifics as I don't know the current plan we have in place, but I do want to make sure that the public is as on-board with the changes as we can get everyone before making any changes to either the plan or the process itself. (edited)

BS | SABRiNA++ 🏆

Do you think bending to help one tier is a slippery slope?? And if you don’t then what stops Elite players to ask for different days if they play on the same IM teams that premier players do? What would be your answer to Elite tier wanting autonomy of their tiers schedule??

Yes, I think that heavily altering or impacting other tiers is a terrible practice to follow here. From Prospect to Elite, ESEA has very little impact on the player-base, which is why we've never seen many players in those tiers call for different MDs or changing how things in the tier generally work. Because of this, I don't have a fear that Elite will ever get to a point that Premier has gotten to. To entertain the possibility though, I wouldn't be supportive of Elite wanting to move their MDs to accomodate the ESEA players in the tier. This is because there are still more than plenty of players within the Elite tier that don't prioritize their ESEA teams (if they're on one), meaning there is much less conflict overall. A loud minority shouldn't take precedence or priority to the actual majority. As for the autonomy, I don't think it should or will ever get to that point, simply because Elite is still very close to Prospect, Contender, and Challenger, so there's no point in breaking away from the way those tiers function. In all of this, premier is a different case simply due to the skill level that overlaps commonly with ESEA, alongside the number of players within the tier (or lack-thereof).

HG | mutant

What are some things you enjoy about CSC? What would you advise to players who have been discouraged by their CSC experience?

I could go on and on about the things I enjoy within CSC. I first joined CSC because like many, I was tired of endlessly solo queuing FaceIT, and after seeing the Reddit post leading up to S7, I decided to join and give it a shot. My first season was alright statistically, so nothing to write home about with performance to keep me playing. What kept me around then, and honestly to this point, is the teammates and people that surrounded me. I felt like I was apart of a new family, as GLD was very tight knit after my first season with them. Going further into S8, S9, and eventually S10, both Jermz, myself, and the entire franchise had all worked to stay close with one another, becoming quite interconnected. For many, myself included, the people within CSC's community are what keep others around, and it might just be my favorite part of CSC. For those of you who have had a different experience in their first or second season, I would change the environment you're in and surround yourself with new people. Sometimes the team you're drafted to just doesn't mesh well together, so finding new people to play with both inside and outside of CSC can make a major difference. A big part in enjoying team CS is finding a group of people you want to play with, not a group that you feel obligated to play with or feel required to play with. While enjoying the CS that you're playing is extremely important, it all starts with your teammates and eventually your franchise, as those are key moments when it comes to enjoying CSC and getting the most out of it.

Through my experience as an arbiter, there seems to be a variety of views on how different staff groups and player groups view arbiters. I understand no individual has the ability to dictate or define what that role is, but what do you see the role of Arbiters as? Do you see the high turnover rate of arbiters as an issue? Do you want to see any changes to that role?

The focus in a lot of Admin elections tends to land on transparency or major changes the candidates want to see. That said, you would be joining a group with a trajectory they have been working towards for a season(+) and would need to work with them for any changes around that. What current projects or actions do you want to encourage and help with that the current admin team is working on? What is one idea or project of yours do you think the current team would help you with?

Do you plan on playing in s11? If so, at what level of commitment?

When did you sign up to run?? Before or after the ping about low count? who would you want to pass GM of ATL to if you were to accept winning?

Do you have any ideas on how to recruit more players to the league? Would need someone to fact check me but it seems like our main strategy is Reddit.

djtl

Do you plan on playing in s11? If so, at what level of commitment?

Hey digital, I'll be getting all of your questions answered in this message (assuming I have the room). When it comes to Arbiters, I view them as the checks and balances for CSC. They are able to have the final say on a mod's decision/punishment, either keeping it or removing it. In my opinion, they're meant to give the players a chance after punishment. Arbiters have the final say, and they should always be using it in the most un-biased way possible. As for changes, there are a few that I personally am backing. Firstly, I would make the Arbiters their own entity While they do have influence and are overseen by the Mods and Admins, they should be able to run themselves in a true checks and balances system, meaning they're running on as equal of footing as they can possible function at. Following this, I would like for Arbiters to have the ability to lessen punishments when seen fit. As it stands, they can only vote to uphold or remove a strike, meaning they can only say yes or no to a strike staying. I feel like they'd be better equipped to help the league as a whole if they could better accomodate the situation that a player might find themselves in, and giving players the chance to appeal to the fullest ability is my goal as the current head Arbiter and potentially a future Admin. For current projects that the admins have, I'm not very aware of what they have in the works, especially since the offseason has just begun. As for my own ideas, I think enacting the committee-updates channels for all committees would be great to get going. It already gets the ball rolling on one of my biggest ideas, and it can very quickly help to further develop the committees that are actively using them. Alongside that, I'd want to be very public about the use of #admin-updates , making sure the channel sees the traffic that it should be seeing, especially during the offseason. As for playing, I currently do not making a full return for S11 as I'm focusing on ESEA. That being said, my schedule with that still leaves me plenty of time to dedicate to the new position and commit myself to CSC once more. If I do get the position, I've been thinking about becoming a PFA, but that would not be my focus here within CSC.

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BS | SABRiNA++ 🏆

When did you sign up to run?? Before or after the ping about low count? who would you want to pass GM of ATL to if you were to accept winning?

I signed up to run after the ping. I did so after seeing the number of candidates at the time, and I did run because I felt like I was in a position to help the league even further than I do currently. Having been around for 4 full seasons and apart of staff for 3 of them, it felt like the right time to take on more responsibilities.

Aybaer 🏆

Do you have any ideas on how to recruit more players to the league? Would need someone to fact check me but it seems like our main strategy is Reddit.

I think utilizing our Twitter even more would be a fantastic start. I know that aidan (fleeb) has been taking over the social media side of CSC, and he's done an amazing job already. More activity on our Twitter and even the Reddit account could both add to our current numbers very well. Aside from those, partnerships with other brands that are able to benefit us like DatHost could bring in even more people who use or see the product we're associated with. With partnerships, however, I know they're a touchy subject within CSC and I think it should be thought about for a large amount of time before a decision is made, as I don't want to take away from our own league with other brands or products.

what qualities do you possess that will further the league that other candidates do not have in your opinion?

You mention in your application

The current admins have done a great job with transparency between themselves and the league, and I'd hope to continue that trend.

, but you also say For current projects that the admins have, I'm not very aware of what they have in the works. What specifically do you think that current team has done well with transparency to the league that you plan to continue if you, as head of a sub committee and a GM, lack awareness of their projects? (edited)

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FA | kowalskey 🏆🏆

what qualities do you possess that will further the league that other candidates do not have in your opinion?

I have worked in staff positions that the others haven't been in, such as Arbiter. That brings a lot of experience and a good approach to the public of CSC, allowing me to know how to handle more relations-related situation within CSC.

djtl

You mention in your application

The current admins have done a great job with transparency between themselves and the league, and I'd hope to continue that trend.

, but you also say For current projects that the admins have, I'm not very aware of what they have in the works. What specifically do you think that current team has done well with transparency to the league that you plan to continue if you, as head of a sub committee and a GM, lack awareness of their projects? (edited)

What I was primarily mentioning in my application was an overall increase in communication since I had first joined, but more specifically since S9. The implementation and usage of #admin-updates has allowed for more clarity and planning within the league. While I don't know the immediate plans, I think that their planning leading up to this point has been good, which is why I mentioned it in my application the first time. (edited)