Judgement day: Reading Entity - September 23rd

Reading Entity

If you asked me 8 short weeks ago how these players would fare if we threw them together into the open division of the race-4 at CPPS. I would have looked down at the ground and guessed - 'Somewhere around the middle'.

If anyone did ask me that question then right now I would have those words in front of me on a plate; lightly salted with a slice of humble pie.

For me this was my first race-4 game this year; for others this was their first tournament in years; but for all of us this was the first time we played a tournament together as a team. But that was exactly what we did. Individually we're all very different players with varying levels of experience, but together we played as one aggressive and unforgiving team; a dominant force that dictated the games our fucking way; we were not so much 5 players as 1 living entity (see what I did there?).

We also do a lot for the game in the form of sex appeal.

The points were played hard and fast (yeah baby) and.. well the proof is in the pudding.

Entity 4 - 1 Volatile
Entity 4 - 0 Celtic Banshees
Entity 4 - 0 Kinetic
Entity 4 - 1 Laysick VIP

1st. Fucking. Place.
  
We had problems with a bit of paint chopping, probably down to the cold weather. Also a couple penalties were made against us which does need addressing, but all in all we couldn't argue with the result.

On a personal level I felt strangely empowered. This was the first time I had played a tournament with a team I have trained with relatively often (I've rarely trained with a team more than once every few months in the past). I played the Teabag side all day and innately knew that it didn't matter who on my team was with me, I had faith in them and their ability to keep me alive so I could get to work.

It was this empowerment which just inflated my game and my ability to play aggressive and intimidate other teams and my god is it a good feeling. Yeah I wasn't perfect, I have a long way to go, but I was playing better than I ever have and I owe that to this new concept of teamplay.  

I made the decision last training that I am definitely going to see things through with Entity and their fight into the elite division with the big dogs next year. I've had the vision for 2 seasons now and pictured myself joining a feeder/sister team and working my way up, but to be a part of a newly rebuilt team and earn that place as a team is going to be so much more rewarding.

This winter we train hard; we have a lot of work to do... because today we made a statement and told everyone around that we are coming and that we are hungry. Today Reading Entity showed that it can bark, next year we need to bring the bite.