AFK Gaming spoke with TNC’s CS:GO team manager Ryan ‘BabyBoy’ Crisostomo over the weekend to talk about the team, the state of the game in the Philippines and more.
We started off with a couple of questions that would tell us a bit more about the team and its members.
Hi Ryan, hope you’re doing well today! Tell us what a typical day is like in the life of a TNC player?
We are a professional team, so we have a strict schedule regarding our practice time. We usually practice like 10-12 hours every day, starting at around 1 PM till about 10 or 11 in the night.
Does the team play and practice together at one location or is everything done remotely?
Well luckily, TNC provided us with a boot camp which basically consists of everything that a professional gamer could ask for. This includes sleeping quarters, high-quality PC and gaming peripherals, gaming chairs and food.
How often does the team communicate with the TNC Dota 2 team? Is there any exchange of information and experiences between the two squads?
We don't get a chance to talk with TNC Dota 2 Team since we're both staying at different boot camps but I do have an open communication with their Manager Paulo from whom I'm getting a lot of tips and feedback on how we can improve the team better.
Describe each of your teammates in one sentence.
Pro - Silent but deadly
Borkum - Small but terrible
Papi Chulo - Calm and efficient
Witz - Witty but effective
Kenzyy - Sleeping giant but the team's motivator
What other activities apart from CS:GO does the team indulge in together?
My team loves to eat so after a rigorous practice we eat out. Sometimes, we also play basketball and workout a little.
What sets TNC CS:GO apart from other Asian CounterStrike teams?
Filipinos are known for being hardworkers, patient, loving and God-fearing individuals so I think that sets us apart from other teams.
After this, we talked a bit about their journey through the Philippines Regional Qualifier for ZOWIE eXTREMESLAND 2018 and got a quick peek on what’s next on TNC’s calendar.
How would you describe your journey through the eXTREMESLAND regional qualifiers?
We all know our opponents personally. So, it was really hard for us to go up against them but of course, we had mutual respect and with the help of God's grace, we won.
Which is the toughest team that you guys came across in the eXTREMESLAND qualifiers?
I don't want to single out a particular team but I think all of them are really good because they all did their best in order to win.
Are you doing anything different in your preparation for the Main Event?
Of course! We're training hard for the upcoming event, we know that it's not going to be easy for us playing against other top teams in the Main Event.
Does TNC scrim against international teams like TyLoo, MVP PK, GOSU, etc.? What are the results of those scrims generally like?
Yes, we scrim against them but the results, that I can't tell.
What’s the tournament schedule like for TNC CS:GO over the next few months?
We have +Attack PH and WESG coming up while we will also be travelling to Taiwan for the upcoming IESF in November.
We ended our conversation with a few shoutouts from Ryan.
I want to say a big thank you to Boss Eric Redulfin and Mam Arlene Redulfin for their never-ending support. To the people behind the scene, especially the TNC Events Team and everyone from our TNC Family. Also, to our own families and loved ones for always believing in us.
Thanks, Ryan for this amazing little chat session with the AFK team. Congratulations once again on winning the qualifiers and wish you guys all the very best for ZOWIE eXTREMESLAND 2018. See you in Shanghai