Long hours of hard training, strategy, and teamwork. If the introduction to our profile this month ended with these three words, no one would doubt that this was not a professional athlete. However, know that these days it is not only hockey players, football players, or other athletes who work hard to reach the top of their sports careers.
Welcome to the world of electronic sports or e-sports, which, thanks to world-class Slovak stars, is revealing its magic in our region.
The image of professional computer game players can arouse various prejudices in many people. Kids sitting in sweatpants in front of a computer killing their time is probably one of the most common. An even bigger surprise awaits you if you meet Ivan Lazarov, one of the pioneers of e-sports in Slovakia. A young man who, from the first sentence, radiates an aura of experience and self-confidence in the best sense of the word. Ivan is the complete opposite of all the stereotypes you could ever have about gaming, and not only in terms of dressing.
You can also follow Ivan on his social networks, where you will often see him in our clothes:
Instagram or follow @tvdev1
Facebook
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Ivan "Dev1" Lazarov...
I've been interested in computers since I was a child. It started when my older brother started playing computer games.
"Through him, I "crammed" into a group that went to play - at that time still in computer arcades - the game Counter-Strike. I was better at it than the others and after a while I saw that it might have some other future than just godforsaken gaming."
It is Counter-Strike, which is known mainly to today's early thirties, that Ivan began to play professionally. However, it is not difficult to imagine the enthusiasm of his parents when their child constantly spent his free time on the computer.
Understanding came only after the first results
The biggest problem with parents is that they have to think logically into the future, what's best for the child. And since I spent a large part of the day in front of the computer, my mother was against it, because, of course, it came at the expense of other responsibilities.
"But that only lasted until I started getting results in tournaments. When tournaments started to exist and I was successful, that's when my mom saw that there was something more to it. She understood that it made sense and started supporting me."
The turning point in Ivan Lazarov's life came at the age of fifteen, when he formed one of the first professional gaming teams in Slovakia. Suddenly, they started defeating even the leading Czech teams and the world began to open up to them.
The first fruits of labor
"The moment we started beating the top Czech-Slovak teams, we saw that we had to break through abroad. We found our first big sponsors who gave us the background to achieve this. That allowed us to become professionals. We got a salary, bought hardware and found spaces where we could train. That's when you understood that you can't just play and you have to perform." Finding sponsors for a newly formed eSports team may seem like a superhuman task to many, but thanks to Ivan's perseverance, he came across people who helped him start his career in the right direction.When I started, it was quite difficult, but it was possible. There was a mix of sponsors who supported us, but they needed to see results."Despite the fact that the Czech Republic and Slovakia are very conservative markets, fortunately there are companies here that see potential in the gaming scene. These are, of course, logically mainly IT companies. We are lucky that we live in a time when more and more brands see how big an impact gaming has." However, for the general public, the concept of a professional gamer still raises many question marks. How can someone sitting behind a screen compare to an athlete on the field? "Many people condemn electronic sports because there is no physical activity. However, the whole principle and logic remain. For example, in Counter-Strike there is a team of five people plus a coach, there is an analyst and a psychologist. In training, the philosophy is the same as in any other team sport. Players have to cooperate perfectly, find synergy, work on tactics. There are many aspects that are the same as in regular sports."
When you want to be the best, you have no choice
"Moreover, you have to dedicate yourself to it. If you want to be the best at anything, you have to be able to sacrifice yourself. It's something you have to dedicate all your time to. When I was actively training, I often spent whole days and nights doing it. Being good requires the same thing as in any other sport, not devoting yourself to anything other than the sport itself."
A parallel with "regular" sports can also be found in the upbringing of young talents. Just like top football players, pro gamers spend their entire childhood from morning to night just training and working hard, says Ivan.
It's a discipline, it's no fun. I had a period when I felt like ripping the cable out of the wall."When you're sitting in front of a monitor for twelve hours, it's completely different than when you're just in front of it for an hour or two and then you rest. But when you want to be the best, you don't have a choice." "Gaming taught me discipline. When a teenager engages in professional gaming and wants to be one of the best, it gives him habits that are a great asset for him in adult life. I gained not only experience, but also know-how that will allow me to establish my own gaming brand, where I try to use my own experience. In addition, I am involved in gaming on an organizational and business level." Adds Ivan, who has already put his career as a professional gamer on hold to use his talent for new projects.
I owe where I am today to the gaming industry. When I look at the IT environment in Slovakia, there are people in every company that I know from the gaming environment.
"It gave me a huge network of contacts. I organize and commentate Counter-Strike tournaments. I support and sponsor various teams and try to help them with my experience."
But does he ever return to his computer monitor to play again, even if just for fun?
"I still like to play at home. Anyone who played games as a child will always play them," Dev1 concludes with a smile.
