Team Liquid recently invited a Gold-ranked League of Legends player to train alongside their LCS roster for an entire month as part of a cool experiment bridging casual and pro play. The initiative, documented in a feature video, followed the journey of a player named Drew as he experienced the rigorous training regimen that professional players endure daily.
Drew, who began the program as a Gold four player, was immediately immersed in the professional environment. His routine included structured coaching sessions, gameplay reviews, and direct mentorship from Team Liquid’s star players and coaching staff. The stark difference between casual solo queue practice and professional training became immediately apparent.
“The way pros approach the game is completely different,” explained one of Team Liquid’s coaches in the feature. “It’s not just about mechanics or game knowledge, but developing a systematic approach to improvement that most players never experience.”
The daily schedule mirrored that of Team Liquid’s professionals, though likely modified somewhat for content purposes. Drew participated in VOD reviews, received personalized feedback on his gameplay, and focused on specific aspects of improvement rather than simply grinding games.
The results were promising but realistic. Over the course of the month, Drew climbed from Gold four to Emerald four—a significant improvement representing several tiers of advancement. This progress highlighted the value of structured coaching and professional feedback, even for players who may have previously felt “stuck” at their rank.
However, the experiment also revealed the harsh reality of skill development in competitive gaming. Despite his improvement, Drew remained far from professional level, which typically requires players to reach Challenger or Grandmaster ranks—still several tiers above Emerald.
What’s particularly telling is what happened after the program ended. Within just 20 days of returning to his normal lifestyle and playing off-role “for fun” instead of maintaining the intensive training regimen, Drew fell back to Gold two, erasing much of his competitive progress.
This outcome reinforces what many high-level players already know: Sustained improvement in League of Legends requires consistent focus, deliberate practice, and ongoing commitment. The brief taste of pro life gave Drew temporary gains, but without the structure and accountability of the team environment, maintaining that level proved challenging.
From solo queue hero to reality check
Team Liquid’s experiment represents a growing trend among esports organizations to create content that engages fans beyond match results while providing educational value. The video offers casual players a window into professional training methods while setting realistic expectations about improvement.
Other organizations might follow suit with similar initiatives. The possibility of amateur tournaments featuring coached lower-ranked teams or extended training programs could provide both entertaining content and development opportunities for the broader League community.
