Update (December 6th 2021): Endpoint has announced it has closed its academy project in its current form, and is now evaluating its approach on grassroots UK CSGO. The organisation expects to have an update in 2022.
Original article (January 13th 2021):
UK esports organisation Endpoint has teamed up with ROG and former UK player turned coach George ‘Whitey’ White to launch a new academy.
The Endpoint ROG Academy is a new grassroots initiative designed to provide up-and-coming CSGO players with a path to pro.
Young players will have a chance to learn from some top talent in the CSGO scene, get insight into the industry and boost their media presence.
Endpoint’s coach for the project, Whitey, will select five players who will join the academy, and a behind-the-scenes content series will follow their developments and journey.
Endpoint has also launched a hub on FaceIT, which will be used as a scouting ground, as well as a fun hub for all different skill groups, with prizes on offer.
Whitey first came up with the idea last November and it prompted a positive response from the community. Now it’s been developed into the Endpoint ROG Academy.
Others involved in the project include manager Oliver ‘Revilo’ Blake, Endpoint social media manager Rhiannon Taylor and graphic and motion artist Sammy ‘RDKN’ Rudkin.
Coach George ‘Whitey’ White said: “This is an academy with a twist – pushing behind-the-scenes content showing how an esports team works. The mentality, the ups and downs, everything.
“I got the idea from being a coach and football academies. A lot of them on YouTube will create a storyline and release content every day, and show youngsters building their way up to the first team. Why not take that model and mould it in esports?
“I have had so many applications for this since my original tweet, around 160 to 170 applications, and I’m happy to build this with an org. I really want it to help the UK scene.”
“This is an academy with a twist – pushing behind-the-scenes content showing how an esports team works. I’m happy to build this with an org, I really want it to help the UK scene.”
George ‘Whitey’ White
Peter Thompson, Endpoint co-owner and COO, added: “We’ve wanted to have an Endpoint academy for a long time. We think we’ve got a really good structure in terms how we can help the scene and some young, up and coming players that really want to progress their careers. They want that pro experience and they’re not going to get it anywhere else.”
“We’re going to build an Endpoint hub where players can play for fun, all the way from level 1 to 10. That hub feeds into the academy, we’ll scout players from there when slots become available and the academy feeds into the main team.
“We have 2 UK players in the ESL Premiership, you need 3. So the players that show promise are going to feed into the UK team.
“The players will get full epic.LAN and Insomnia event support throughout the year, boot camp support, media days, so it’s a great opportunity in the academy for players to progress.”
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
