South.GG Exclusives: Introducing Zeal Esports

After saying goodbye to their old mantle as 6045 Pirates, the organization’s Valorant roster now turns over a new leaf as members of the up-and-coming Cebuano esports organization, Zeal Esports. We sat down for a quick interview with Yuki “Zyki” Uruma, the team’s head coach, to talk over some of the things that led to the change.

South.GG: How does it feel to have played with the top SEA teams in Valorant, and what were the things that you needed to improve, aside from your play style and training schedules?

Zyki: It felt amazing to play at such a high level of esports with my team. It felt amazing to be given a chance to prove ourselves even when the odds were stacked against us. However, we felt that if we had more people in our coaching staff, like an analyst, it would have really helped us smoothen our plays.

S.GG: How about your facilities? We heard that you were using one of your teammates’ house as a boot camp, and that you played in tournaments at a nearby internet cafe. Would a better boot camp with better peripherals increase your chances of advancing in the SEA Challengers ladder?

Zyki: Definitely. But this is no longer a problem as now that we are in Zeal Esports, everything will be sorted out for us, including better gear and a better boot camp.

S.GG: Could you walk us through the process of transitioning to Zeal?

Zyki: After our team’s VCT run, we felt frustrated knowing that we could have done more if we had better facilities. After the 6045 Pirates released us from the organization, I quickly looked for a chance to reform my old team and hopefully do better this time around. 

S.GG: So, why Zeal? And how did you manage to round up the team after you were all released by 6045 Pirates?

Zyki: After leaving [6045] Pirates, I couldn’t stand letting my boys go around as free agents and possibly no teams to pick them up. I took the chance to take in my former teammates and form Zeal Esports. We used the name Zeal Esports because it symbolizes our passion for gaming and proving the potential of the Cebuano esports scene.

S.GG: So what can we expect from this move to Zeal Esports?

Zyki: Aside from a major improvement on our end, we can assure you that the Zeal crew will continue to showcase the unwavering passion and fervor that we once had in 6045 Pirates. We might also have more content to produce, thanking our sponsors like TLB Ventures Corp., and maybe more content with  you guys at South.gg, so stay tuned!