A UK League of Legends coach has joined the Esports BTEC teaching team at Havant and South Downs College (HSDC).
Rhys ‘Kybet’ Williams, who has experience coaching nDurance in Division 3 of the UK, Ireland and Nordics NLC, Peak Esports in the UKEL and more, has been working in esports for almost five years.
He started as a player (having reached the Arena Clash finals in both seasons he played) and League of Legends coach, before taking his coaching career full time three years ago. He’s coached hundreds of students and has reached Diamond on multiple accounts in all roles, and has also worked as a content creator.
HSDC said he will use his industry knowledge and contacts to boost the course and help students prepare for their future careers.
Update (August 2022): HSDC has also hired Vulpine Esports co-owner and Women in Games ambassador Lizzie Squires as an esports lecturer too.
The college will launch its Esports BTEC Level 3 extended diploma course this September, and will have dedicated gaming and esports facilities on both the Alton and South Downs campuses.
“I’d like to help the next generation to make the esports community a better place.”
Rhys ‘Kybet’ Williams, HSDC College
Students will gain knowledge in a variety of areas, including enterprise and entrepreneurship, livestreamed broadcasting, video production, shoutcasting, coaching, health and wellbeing, ethical issues and more.
There will also be the opportunity to compete in the British Esports Association colleges competitions. The HSDC Storm team will compete in Rocket League, Overwatch, League of Legends and Valorant against other colleges.
The qualification will also offer an opportunity for students to upskill and progress other interests, as well as HSDC’s partnerships with the universities of Chichester and Portsmouth offering skill development and progression paths.
Related article: ‘Interventions are needed’ to improve esports athletes’ quality of sleep and mental health, according to new UK study of student players carried out by the University of Chichester and others
Rhys said: “I’ve lived and breathed the industry for years now, for two to three years this has been my every day. I did everything that I could to make it work and obviously there were a lot of lows to that but even more highs. I found what works, what doesn’t and what industry professionals like.
“The fact that I’ve been out there and done it, I can tell the students what I’ve learned from my own experience. I’d like to help the next generation to make the esports community a better place by helping to influence students to become critical thinkers who want to make positive change in the industry.
“There is something for everybody [in esports] and if there’s something you really want to do and nobody’s doing it, you can go ahead and do it.
“I was a kid who was a bit misunderstood, I had ADHD and gaming was a way I could escape the stuff I was struggling with in real life and get into a world with no barriers. It was this world where I could be really good at something, I started realising my brain could process these tiny things that people normally overlook. It wasn’t making me struggle, it was helping me get to the top.
“The fact that the inclusivity was there was what made me realise I could make it and really made me fall in love with esports because it was for everyone.”
Paul Carter, assistant principal vocational & technical curriculum, added: “HSDC is really excited to be offering this new BTEC Esports course that has been developed in partnership with the British Esports Association.
“One of the most important factors when deciding to offer the new course was making sure we had industry expertise leading the way. With the appointment of Rhys Williams as our esports lead lecturer, we have secured someone who is a current player, coach and industry professional. Rhys has designed the delivery of the course to meet the current sector needs, and we are really pleased about what he can bring to esports at HSDC.”
There’s more info on the HSDC esports course pages.
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.
