RLCS X Featured Teams: The Statues of Libertas

“Sometimes you have to lose hard to bounce back harder” — Rix_Ronday

As one of the teams who already earned their spot in this Season’s circuit, Libertas has more combined experience than most of the mid-tier teams. Featuring Rizex45 (GER), Mikeboy (NED) and Rix_Ronday (NED) the players have a combined experience of 8 RLRS Seasons. In the background, they have Juicy (NED) as their coach and DuckMoriarty (ENG) as their manager.

After winning the European Regional qualifier, many thought the team would make an impact in Stage 1. However, Libertas failed to make Stage 2 after a 1–3 record in the Stage. We caught up with them to talk about what happened, and how the roster feels about the rest of their Split.

Libertas logo

All of you have extensive experience in the Rival Series (combined experience at 8 Seasons). How do you think playing in the Rival Series has developed you as players?

Rix_Ronday: It helped to stay motivated to get better because I always wanted to reach the RLCS. It has definitely given me a lot of experience playing high level Rocket League and I’m happy to have that under my belt.

Mikeboy: The Rival Series helped me develop my nerves very well. I was really nervous the first weeks but it helped me really well because I was getting better and better from it. The Rival Series also really helped me to develop as a player because my comms and my gameplay have been better and better lately and I have to adapt it more and more now so I am really hyped to get as far as we can.

Rizex45: I played in the RLRS for 2 Seasons and it has taught me how to handle nerves and keep my confidence up. It also helped me a lot because I gained a lot of experience playing versus the top teams.

Rix_Ronday (middle) after winning the GFINITY Elite Series Season 2.(Photo Credits: GFINITY)

RLCS X brings a new format to the table, and this past week we have seen a number of teams make a name for themselves by either making the main event or making Stage 2. Is this new format welcomed by you as players?

Rix_Ronday: Yeah I really like the way this format works, because there are way more games to be played. I think it is a good step in the right direction.

Mikeboy: Yes and also no, I really liked the old format but I think it’s really good that bubble teams can evolve really good now. Also, there is in my opinion a little bit of a disadvantage for the RLCS / RS teams because first you have to play against RLCS / RS teams and now they have to play against bubble teams that are really mysterious but I like to see new teams to the new scene as well so I am kinda happy with the new format, you also have to play more and more so we will get more experience and hopefully more good results.

The next few months (Fall Split) are going to be very busy in terms of the amount of Rocket League being played. Is there any fear of burn out at some point in the Split? What do you do as players to ensure you don’t get burnt out (other life activities you may do, sports etc.)?

Rix_Ronday: I am incredibly motivated and I know that it won’t burn me out. I want to improve and play versus the top teams as much as I can.

Mikeboy: I don’t think I will get burned out. I usually play like 70 hours in the 2 weeks and I am aiming for the 100 hours in the 2 weeks because I want to get better and better. I will have school again soon but I still don’t think I will get burned out because I did it before with school as well so everything will be okay for me.

Rizex45: Besides playing Rocket League I go outside with friends and that makes me calm. Also, I love to compete at the top level so I am doing everything for it.

Mikeboy at Dreamhack Leipzig 2019 (Photo Credits: ZeeboDesigns)

You looked to be in really good form after making the main event but failed to make Stage 2 after a 1–3 record in the Swiss bracket. What did you learn from this, and what are you changing as we head towards the first round of The Grid?

Juicy: The worst thing about it is the fact that it wasn’t just the qualifying bracket that went well for us, in scrims recently it had been looking really good too. Both right before, and right after Stage 1 everything was going splendidly. I think the main thing to take away from it that our game plan is good, seeing as it worked for us in scrims, but if we go into events playing differently than what we promise each other, it won’t work out. So the main thing we’ve learned from this as a team is that we’ve got work to do in prepping for tournaments so we play in them the same way we always do.

Rix_Ronday: Sometimes you have to lose hard to bounce back harder. We learnt that the playstyle we tried to use did not work out as intended and we will be changing things up for the future.

Mikeboy: Of course it’s really sad that we lost with a 1–3 record but everyone makes mistakes and we will learn even harder from the mistakes we make so hopefully we will bounce back the next grid and the Regional events.

Rizex45: In my opinion, it’s okay to lose, for the next time we should be more confident and try to play more as a team. I am pretty sure that we can come back from that and I am looking forward to the future.

Rizex45 while competing for Team Vertex (Photo Credits: Lx. / @lxcreates)

In terms of experience at the top level, your players certainly boast an extensive achievement list of LAN victories and impressive placings. As a coach & manager, how do you make sure they are always ready to compete at their best?

Juicy: They have much more experience at the highest level than me for sure. And I think that’s important to realize as a coach, that these guys already have a lot in them. I personally believe that in Rocket League there are choices you make that are down to preference/playstyle and ones that are obvious mistakes. You notice that sometimes these guys are so advanced in everything they do, it’s worth looking back at the basics and being forced to justify your choices in order to check whether a specific choice was a mistake or not. As a coach I mainly focus on that, building on and perfecting what is already there from them, yet being critical and making changes if necessary. That way they can compete at the highest level.

DuckMoriarty: My role is mostly in the background. I’m here to organise scrims, make sure they have everything to perform at their best and to hunt for sponsorship from organisations. But I’m also a motivational force (see Gfinity), and also another voice on decisions on the small occasions when/if I’m needed.

Juicy at the Keuken Kampioen Divisie Esports Fan Tournament (Photo Credits: Juicy)

Often coaches/managers working with Rocket League teams develop great working relationships as well as enjoyable friendships. How much fun do you guys have working with your players? Do you do any ‘extra-curricular’ activities as a team, be it just playing other games together?

Juicy: Funny you should ask this, because I only first really met the guys on Minecraft. I had casted them before in the Rocket Baguette Superstar League but hadn’t really spoken to them until a mutual friend had set up a Minecraft server. And I believe that to be super important. This team bounces back from everything. I’ve been part of so many teams that, after a loss, immediately split up and let their feelings boil up until it all explodes. These guys, and now me and Duck as well, are very close which allows us to bounce back from everything. For example, very recently a scrim went super rough for us. Basically lost all games, but immediately jumped into the replays of the scrim rather than disconnect from the call and be down about it, and when we played later that evening it was already so much better. All that remains now is for Rizex to fix his Hamachi so he can join us in playing Private Custom Maps on Rocket League because he really wants to try out “Quiddash”.

DuckMoriarty: I’ve known Rix for years, both managerial and (hopefully he’ll agree with this) as a friend. We don’t play many games together, but when I’m around in chats and conversations we’re constantly joking and keeping the theme light. I also owe them a takeaway, if that counts as an extra-curricular activity.

DuckMoriarty working with Reason Gaming during GFINITY Elite Series Season 4 (Photo Credits: Joe Brady)

What are the goals for this Split, and the wider season?

Juicy: Before the Split started, the goal for us was a steady top 16 placing in the first Regional event, and to steadily push into the top 10 of Europe. I still think we have the same vision, and that it’s definitely achievable too, but we’ve got to be realistic and realise we haven’t been together that long, and that Regional 1 showed us there are definitely still quite a few bumps ahead of us. Regardless, pushing into the top 10 in the long term should be doable. Hopefully that also brings a few opportunities at Majors with it.

DuckMoriarty: We want to win games. Reach as far as we can in every tournament we play, prove all of our doubters wrong. But quantitatively, we want to constantly reach the top 16, and even further, in the Regional events. We want to crack the top 10 of the region, and to make sure we retain our place in The Grid for the next Split. All of these while constantly looking like a threat to potentially win events.

Mikeboy: We will aim for the top 16 next Regional, so Stage 2. We have more and more time to improve individually and as a team so I think it is doable for us. In the wider season, we will aim for the Major in the Fall Split so we will try our best to qualify for that of course.

Any specific teams you want to crush in upcoming competitions?

Rix_Ronday: Any team we face.

DuckMoriarty: All of them? Don’t care who they are just want to beat them up. I don’t really foresee any grudge games in the tournament.

Juicy: Not any specific teams for me. That said, I’m very much looking forward to The Grid. It boasts the best of the best in Europe, and to have that played out weekly is very exciting. I think, if we have our day, we can push very far into one of the editions.

Any shoutouts you’d like to give?

Juicy: First of all a shoutout to DannyboyATM. He got me into casting and the scene as a whole, and without him, I’d have never been near where I am now. Aside from that, I want to thank the boys themselves, because realistically speaking I had only ever coached bubble teams before, and I’m very grateful that they had enough fate in me to grant me this opportunity.

DuckMoriarty: Anyone who wants to give us money? Sign us up dudes. Also obligatory shoutouts to the dudes here at ShiftRLE, and also the other content folks like those at Octane, Liquipedia, Rocketeers and the folks on YouTube and Twitch. You’re the real reason why we’re still here — as without you and your content no-one would really care about the teams that play. Cheers to you, all of you. Keep up the good work.

Rix_Ronday: Shoutout to all the people that have supported me over the years and still do. Also a quick shoutout to EyeIgnite, Dmentza and to ShiftRLE.

Mikeboy: Shoutout to Oscillon, ThO., Oaly and Elyy for supporting me through my career, and of course all the fans that have been supporting me and the team! And of course ShiftRLE for this interview.

Rizex45: Shoutout to coKaaa, one of my longest teammates and best friend ever on the Internet. Also shoutout to Tox, a really good player and friend of mine.

Thanks to the players, coach, and manger over on Libertas for a great interview!

Author(s):
Achilles — @achilles_xf
Dion — @dionginge