SR Firstkiller: "Lifting a major's trophy has always been my dream"

"Maybe third time’s the charm. So if I make it to finals again, it’s going to happen."

Shopify Rebellion begins their Paris Major adventure with a narrow 3–2 victory over Twisted Minds on Wednesday in Group C. The North American side survived a tense opening match to take an important early win in a competitive group that also features Ninjas in Pyjamas, setting themselves up well ahead of the remaining group stage series.

After the match, Jason “Firstkiller” Corral spoke in an exclusive interview with Sheep Esports about his difficult first game that included a headache after the opening map, as well as his team’s confidence moving forward, the strength of their group, and their ambitions to take down top contenders such as NRG, Karmine Corp, and Gentle Mates.

We’re a few hours into day one of the Paris Major after your very close 3–2 win against Twisted Minds—did you sweat a bit during the match?

Jason "Firstkiller" Corral: “Yeah, it was a little sweaty. Mainly though, my head was hurting a lot after game one. I was just trying to not focus on that. But to be fair I was just chilling, my teammates backed me up really well, so I don’t really have doubts in my head.

How have you been health-wise since your arrival? Have you experienced any jet lag?

Firstkiller: I’ve bootcamped in the Netherlands, and then I came here, so I’ve been in Europe for quite some time, so it’s not really jet lag. I think I’m over that. I have bad vision and, when I eat before playing, I usually get bad digestion. I had some food before scrims and got that headache.

How do you feel about the upcoming games and the overall level of competition in your group?

Firstkiller: Our group is pretty strong. Twisted Minds and Ninjas in Pyjamas, they’re good teams. I think TM is the best team besides us in the group, so I’m glad that we got that out the way and came out with a W.

But yeah, we’re really confident. We came out looking pretty strong, and we’re just going to keep going up from here.

Would you consider today’s result an upset?

Firstkiller: I wouldn’t say so, honestly. I always thought we were better than them. Overall, I think media and the people think that we’re interchangeable—either fifth or sixth. I thought it was more of an even match.

Do you feel Shopify Rebellion has a real chance to go all the way in this tournament?

Firstkiller: Yeah, I definitely think so. If we focus on our game plan and keep playing well individually, we can make it all the way.

What will be the key factor that separates you from the other teams in this tournament?

Firstkiller: Our trust in each other and how well we play as a team is definitely what’ll set us apart.

You’ve reached two major finals but haven’t won a trophy yet—what will be different this time, and how have you prepared to avoid repeating that outcome?

Firstkiller: You know, maybe third time’s the charm. So if I make it to finals again, it’s going to happen.

What would winning this trophy mean to you after nearly 10 years of competing?

Firstkiller: It would mean a lot to me because it’s been my dream since I started playing the game. So that’s always what I’m striving for. If I can get it done here, especially in Paris with an amazing crowd, it’s going to be awesome.

Are you excited for the bracket stage and the crowd atmosphere, especially after experiencing big events like Worlds in Lyon?

Firstkiller: I’m looking forward to the crowd—how loud they are when we’re playing.

Even if we end up playing against a team like KC, M8, or VIT, and we end up on the crowd’s bad side, just hearing how loud they are—hearing that passion coming from them—those are the things that motivates me to play even better.

With the Esports Nations Cup coming up, what would it mean to you to represent the United States?

Firstkiller: I’m definitely hoping to be selected. I would love to represent my country. In the past, I wanted to play for FIFAe, but some things didn’t match, and I couldn’t really play. But I’ve always wanted to represent my country.

How do you see the current state of the Rocket League competitive scene, and do you think the game is starting to see a resurgence?

Firstkiller: The last two seasons were a little weird. Some things happened, and the viewership was not the greatest. But I think this season so far has definitely been on an uptrend, especially with Rocket League’s new communication.

Your name “Firstkiller” sounds more like an FPS tag, so where does it come from, and why did you choose it?

Firstkiller: I came up with that name when I was like seven. I was playing Call of Duty and I got it from that game. I don’t even know how I got the name. I just remember I got it then.

What does your schedule look like in the next few hours, especially with needing to refocus for upcoming matches?

Firstkiller: We’re probably going to go back to the practice room, chill out for a little bit, maybe scrim and prepare for the matches for tomorrow.

Are there any specific teams you really want to beat, and what would the ideal scenario for you be over the next few days?

Firstkiller: The perfect scenario if I could take down NRG, KC, and M8.”