A strat caller is probably the most overlooked player in any game that is played competitively. Sure you have your top fraggers that everyone loves to watch dominate their opponent, but think about the one person on a team that has to think of where to put this player, so he can get all of the frags. Sometimes the key to a team having success on any level isn't due to its best players on paper, but the player that is working behind the scenes to make everything come together.

Much like most players, I started out as a mere pub player. I played in public servers just because I thought the game was fun and I was addicted to it like you wouldn't believe. Once I realize that the game of Counter-Strike could be played on a competitive level, I soon got very into the scene. I began spectating scrimmages, matches, and whatever else I thought could help me out in beating my opponents. The player that gave me the most inspiration for my playing style was Justin "sunman" Summy. His style was extremely unique and like no one I had ever seen since. I began watching the game on this level. He was one of the best in the world and extremely creative with the way he played.

But, back to the topic, the player that gave me the most inspiration to get me to where I am today, (and I also had the pleasure of coaching his team) was Dave "moto" Geffon. When Dave left TSO to join up with 3D, along with Kane, he pulled all of his tricks out of the bag. Aside from Vesslan, Dave had some of the most innovative tactics that the world had ever seen. If you remember the first CPL that 3D won, it was mostly due to moto. Back when you could control the money as a Counter-Terrorist, Dave realized that they could capitalize on their opponents during save rounds. Not only that, but he was one of the first players that had his team start doing most of the popular crossfires, head stacks, and boosts that are commonly used today.

I used to be a peon, just doing whatever I was told and trying to get as many frags as I could, but it wasn't really helping my team that much. But then I realized that controlling the team and knowing exactly what everyone was doing, helped me play better with them.

Being an in-game leader is a lot like being a new mother. They are there to do whatever they can to protect and do what is best for the team. The biggest job for an in-game leader is to know what the other team is thinking. This is why they are always telling you to communicate and talk. It isn't just so when they are fragged, your team can know what the other team is doing, but so he can listen in and start noticing the tendencies of the other team. If you are calling exactly where each of your opponents are coming from on the flank, or where they are set up on a bombsite take over, it will help your team tremendously.

With the leader knowing exactly how each of the five opponents are playing, he can call better tactics and start calling strats on-the-fly, if needed. I have always had the philosophy that if you pay attention to what your team is doing, it is just as good as HLTV or wallhacks in this game. This all comes through the team's communication. If you help your leader out by calling out what you see, later in the half he can start helping you out even though he is on the other side of the map. He can start saying, "Watch for player 'x' he likes to play here", or let's say you get the bomb down he will call, "Someone watch "y" flank because player 'x' always goes there when we plant in this bomb site".

Going back to moto, a lot of people saw him as a lower tier player and one that always got frags by catching players from behind. My question is, what's the difference? A frag is a frag. When you consider all of the responsibility put on the in-game leader's shoulders; does it really matter if he gets a 5-7 score in a half even though you won the match? Of course not.

As much as the community likes to say that this game is 100% based on skill and not nearly as much as intelligence, it is pure ignorance. Had the leader not put his other four players in their strongest positions and himself in the best spot that he can play, your team may never win a match in your entire life span. Imagine if you put Ksharp watching the hut from the floor on de_nuke, or SpawN watching long A with an AK-47 from the bomb site on de_dust2. Sure they may get a frag or two, but that is not their optimal position. This positioning also works the same for the offense.

I will admit, amongst the Las Vegas community, I am often looked down upon as a player, because I am not the best fragger in the world. But I usually get called upon when a local tournament arises and a team needs tactics to try and win. So does it get on my nerves that I am not that good at putting up numbers? Of course not. In-game leaders are without a doubt the most important aspect of any game, going from Counter-Strike to a coach in the NFL. They control the game and they pay attention to what is going on more than anyone else.

This is another reason why I try to push the coaching aspect of Counter-Strike so much. It is a necessity to the game. What would happen if you suited up John Madden and tossed him onto a football field against a team that was half his age and at their physical peak? He would get pummeled. Now let's say you put him on the sideline instructing a team, with these features, what to run on the field. They would have a much better chance of winning games.

There is no real point in having a weak player in a server if he had the ability to sit behind a team instructing his best players on what to do. This is why I had such a great time at the E-Sports World Cup. It actually gave people a chance to use this feature that all real sports use.

Many players that have brought this game to where it is today are slowly but surely starting to lose their ability to frag. If they would take a step back and begin coaching and start recruiting these young and upcoming players, their team would more than likely have a much better success rate.