Gentle Mates still has life in the Kickoff tournament after a heartbreaking 2-3 loss to
BBL Esports in the
VCT EMEA Kickoff upper final, and Conner
"GLYPH" Garcia sat down with
Sheep Esports right after the series to break down what went wrong, why the team isn’t near its peak yet, and how he’s adapting to Berlin as the squad’s only import.
This interview took place on Friday, February 13. M8 has since qualified for Santiago by defeating Fnatic 3-2 in the middle bracket final.
How are you feeling after today's match, and what's your overall impression of Gentle Mates performance?
Conner "GLYPH" Garcia: “I feel like we’re going to bounce back. We still have two more chances, and this is our first loss. There are a lot of learning experiences from a series that got much tighter than it needed to be, where we could have been more controlled.
That was one of the most chaotic matches I’ve played, with two double-duelist comps into each other. I’m looking forward to what’s next. We still have two more matches and a lot we can do. Today wasn’t close to our peak or our potential. We underperformed a bit by our standards, and we have a lot more to show.
You also talk about the chance you have to two more chances. And does it take maybe some pressure off compared to a do-or-die match?
GLYPH: No. None of us thinks about it as having extra lives. We approach every match with the same focus and intensity, planning to win like any other official on any stage. Having more chances is nice, but it’s not something we rely on or keep in our heads. Nobody goes into a match thinking losing is acceptable. We’re going in with intensity every time, and I think the next match we show will be a lot better.
Just before you talked a bit about your underperforming as a team, do you think the fact that it was a best of five and not a best of three impacted the team a bit?
GLYPH: No. For the best-of-five, we actually had good control across the majority of the maps until some things didn’t go our way or we made a few mistakes as a team. The BO5 format didn’t affect our performance. A few errors made it a lot closer than it should have been on maps we should have closed out. We’re not going to carry that into the next matches. We reset, look at the mistakes, minimize them, and come back better.
Since the start of the split, how have you experienced this beginning of the season?
GLYPH: I still have a lot more room to settle in. I’ve only shown a glimpse of my potential. I have really good halves and some not as good, and I think it’s mainly a confidence thing. Sometimes I give opponents a little too much respect, worrying about things they won’t actually do or don’t have the confidence to do.
I need to be more confident and more disrespectful in the best way. As a team, there’s still room for growth, too. We mesh well, but on the server, I can push more to build better micro, fundamentals, and coordination with people. This isn’t fully solid yet, and it’s not the best or worst you’ll see from me.
Gentle Mates before the Kickoff Upper Final against BBL. Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games
This year, it feels like Gentle Mates want to level up. What identity are you trying to build, and how do you want teams to feel when they play against you?
GLYPH: I want teams to respect us and take us seriously as competitors. In the past, people may have underestimated us. Our identity is five individuals coming together to form one team, rather than being led by one or two people while the rest follow.
We’re self-sufficient, with players who have their own ideas and agency. If we mesh it well, it’s very strong, but it can also get chaotic when five people have different ideas. The goal is finding that balance while keeping the identity of five players combining their problem-solving and feedback to make the best team play together.
You joined Gentle Mates at the start of the year with a new challenge, far from your home. You're the only import on the team. And how do you handle being so far from your family?
GLYPH: It’s hard being away from family. I miss my girlfriend the most; she’s my biggest support system and a huge reason I’m still competing and here today. I’ve had moments in the past where I thought about quitting, and she always pushed me to keep playing because she sees how much I love being in the scene. Berlin hasn’t been that bad for me.
People have different opinions, but
Gentle Mates has great resources and an office setup that lets us fully focus. It’s a good area, it’s comfortable to live in, and it helped me adjust. The main thing I don’t like is the snow and when it gets icy.
From the inside, how did you experience your arrival in Gentle Mates and your integration into the roster?
GLYPH: It was more seamless than I expected. I trialed for different rosters, and language barriers were more common, which made it harder to adjust. Moving from being a caller to being more of a third voice, I had a lot of ideas and information I wanted to share.
I also naturally speak fast. The biggest adjustment has been learning how to communicate efficiently without creating chaos, choosing the right moments to speak so people can understand me, and slowing down while keeping the same urgency.
With EMEA changing a lot this year and you entering in the European ecosystem, what's the biggest difference between your time in VCL and Ascension and now in VCT EMEA?
GLYPH: The games are more layered and disciplined. There’s less individual play across the board, and there’s more depth tactically. The overall level is higher, especially among the top teams. It’s harder to read the game. Even now, focusing more on playing instead of IGLing, it’s still just as hard, if not harder, because of how disciplined and layered teams are.
We know Gentle Mates has a huge community and a very involved fan base, as we see today also in the crowd. So, how much energy do the supporters give you, and do you have a message for the fans?
GLYPH: The energy is amazing. Walking out and hearing the cheers gives me chills. Our fans are our sixth man. Having that support has a real effect, and it motivates me to do my best and work for them. I’m going to keep working as hard as I can, and I hope we keep delivering performances that make you believe."
