With Endpoint's latest success in Counter-Strike and recent announcements, we talked with ex-CSGO coach and newly appointed full-time content creator George "Whitey" White about his thoughts on CSGO, advice towards the scene, his insider knowledge, and the behind the scenes understanding on how to make a career out of esports no matter the path. Whitey livestreams and creates amazing content each and every day for the community and is an inspiration to all who want to make a living in the wide world of esports.

First, probably one of the most important questions the community wants to know is how did you become a professional CSGO coach in the first place?

Whitey: The way it naturally fell into place still makes me laugh and tingle to this day, haha. Essentially back into 2019, I just started gradually improving with the team I started from scratch 'Madeeka'. We were approaching a epic LAN as a team and one of my players asked SheekeyCSGO to come coach us at the event (Endpoint streamer and ex-IGL for them). Sheekey agreed. We ended up doing really, really well at the event - top 4, which was like huge for us at the time - and we started to get noticed a little bit. During the event, I became really close to Sheekey and we had a wicked weekend. After that, we started playing online together and building a good friendship. He also continued to help my team online. We were just about to do well out of ESEA Main in our last season, but before the season ended, Sheekey invited me to go up to the Endpoint HQ (gaming house) to chill and do some stream stuff together. It was one of the best weeks of my life.

During that time I met Puls3 and MiGHTYMAX and started to become close to them. We all instantly got on so well and it's like we knew each other for years. Reece (Pulse) learnt that I had been a football coach for a decent amount of time and he really liked my personality. At the current time, his team was struggling massively with mentality and needed a nice, funny, approachable guy to be around to deal with problems correctly, which I will defo stand for I am good at. Reece and I spoke about the idea about me potentially being the coach of the team, he seemed like he defo wanted to push for it. I couldn't believe what was going on, Endpoint at the time being my favourite org and I was nearly best mates with players such as Max, Puls3 and Sheekey. I was excited but also nervous. I didn't think I'd be wanted because I've never played at that level or done something similar. But I knew if put my thoughts to it, I could make the best of it undoubtedly. Reece approached the team with the idea and they seemed like it would be a good idea. Two weeks later, I signed my contract and was living full-time at the Endpoint gaming house. Dream come true. :)

How has the transition from coach to full-time content creator been for you so far? And what are your plans for the future?

Whitey: The transition was weird at first, It's not something I was FULLY invested into. I've always had a loud upfront personality that can be attractive to people. But my passion was being in a team as a player or a coach and working our way up as a unit. But with how the current situation is with COVID and how the UK scene is atm with lack of players, I feel like it's my best step to take. After doing 5-6 streams, I started to realise the love, support, and attention I was getting was an eye opener to fully invest into it instantly, and just put coaching pause or using my coaching experience involved with the content. Then Endpoint contacting me to join back has just fired the motivation even more.

Do you have any future plans to return to coaching or are you just focusing on growing your stream?

Whitey: I think I will for sure return to coaching one day if the offers are right or the team that arises gives me the impression it has the potential and hunger to be stable and grind together, but for now my full effort is in focusing on working with Endpoint and myself and with other content creators to grow my brand.

What has been your biggest special moment in your career so far?

Whitey: To be honest, I don't have a singled special moment in my career. There's been plenty of good times and plenty of lows, but the biggest and most special moment for making this into a career was when I was able to go downstairs and inform my parents about receiving my first professional contract in gaming and their faces being so shocked and just excited for me as when I first began grinding no one believed in me... Correction very, very, very few people did.

How was your experience in the UK in the Endpoint Lineup as coach?

Whitey: It was very short lived, but I learnt so much within 4-5 months. I was living away. I grew as a person and as a coach, coaching people like Max, Impulse, and Thomas. I learned a good amount tactically and more how a high end CSGO team works. From there, I took that experience to new teams to continue to grow. Travelling to international events like the Copenhagen Games and around the UK for tournaments felt surreal, but I did feel the pressure over time. Either way, I wouldn't take back the opportunity because it has made me who I am today, only change how it ended.

Do you have any role models within the scene?

Whitey: I wouldn't say I have any specific role models in the scene, but there are a lot of peers in the UK who have made esports into a lengthy career and made a name for themselves, people like Puls3, Neil_M, Keita, MightyMax which I respect and take inspiration from. Role models are different for me and I kind of need to know the person a lot to wanna be like them yanno? Like personally my dad, grandad, and rest of family surrounding me are my role models.

What's a normal day like as a full time content creator?

Whitey: With Endpoint, I am going to be working on some things with them in the future, but usually I'll be setting up some questions for my interviews during the day then about 30 mins before going live on stream I'll give the person coming onto the show a pre-briefing to get them comfy, then I just stream away for 2-3 hours to my amazing audience, then afterwards just go chill like any other normal day haha

Do you feel like the release of Valorant will affect the state of the current competitive CSGO scene?

Whitey: It's too early to tell. But I confidently think that it won't touch the CSGO viewing experience, I feel like people don't even need to know CS without enjoying the watch of competitive team CS. Whereas valorant, I think, is going to be 100x harder to be able to observe and give off the full viewer experience, I for sure think it will be big especially with Riot behind it, but in my eyes it won't reach the heights of CSGO as an esport.

What would you have to say to anyone who wants to start playing, coaching or creating content full time now in the eSports scene?

Whitey: Honestly to anyone get started, just learn the basic fundamentals, sit down, and say to yourself what it is you really would like to do. Play, coach, manage, content... whatever it may be think about it, once you're settled just start out, learning, and doing it as much as you can. The more time you put in, the better you will grow. From there as you've started and hit the basics, start branching out to what you want to do, set out goals short term, mid and long term and just work your ass off to achieve them. One goal you might have is to join a team as a player in CS. Start using platforms like Twitter seeking teams looking for a player or [the] ESEA recruit forum!

Please go show Whitey some love on his socials below, his streams are entertaining and super informative on current affairs within the CSGO scene:

Twitter
Twitch