Zander

My run at #Worlds2026 has come to an end. What a decade long journey it's been to my first appearance here. Even more special to debut in my home country. It has been honor to share the storytelling stage with the gifted pillars of our industry, and just so damn fun to create and entertain with them. It's very hard to describe the feeling of seeing players, coaches, staff, and production for the first time in years. Sometimes it's just a hello in passing with years of memories in between, sometimes it's high fives and hugs while reminiscing on interviews from ages ago. Here are some of the big moments that stood out to me: - THE MOMENT! Without experiencing it live - you cannot understand how much the LACK of multi-monitor information you have while being at the event. It forces you to be present and live in the moment. I know that I'd be able to scroll reddit, twitch chat, FMKorea, and leaguepedia all in about 10 seconds from home to make even stronger decisions, but at the venue, it's all about prep so you can react in the moment. There's this sense of freedom in that. There's worlds where you can min-max the interactions with players and fellow casters, but it really is all live - from heart and brain to mouth in an instant. It made series such a LOS vs LYON one I'll never forget. Lastly the birthday surprise from my fellow broadcast peers and casters was such a sweet touch. Thank you to all the casters for making me feel so accustomed and welcomed on this big stage. - THE FANS! Every fan that showed up was brimming with hope and an expectation for a good time. It's that level of passion that I hope to never forget with every single broadcast I'm in. Anecdotally, I didn't meet a fan that had started watching before 2019, which is a reminder that we have NEW fans showing up, and retelling older stories of Meiko's 9 world appearances or Flash Wolves' success in the late 2010s provides a greater picture of the league ecosystem. Fans had come from all over the States for multiple difference reasons - the guy that had his bald head signed by Caps was part of a group of 4 who were together in honor of their 5th that passed away earlier in the year. A couple of brothers in their 30's from Arkansas brought the next gen of players (probably 10 and 7) wearing LCS t-shirts. Every nod to a fan wearing an LCK jersey or BRO chants. So many fans of the Facecheck and Power Spike podcasts over the years shared how they consumed the show while on long drives, flights, weekly, on discord calls together. Thank you for sharing the impact of our work. Also, the homie that gave me a Pikachu pokemon card after hearing about my storage unit: you a real one. - THE PROS! We wouldn't be here without these individuals putting it on the line for years. So much of the time we're caught up in the end result, but if this career has taught me anything, it's about the process and the journey. Seeing so many of the LCS and LEC homies after all these years fills me with joy, and I hoped in our small interactions I'd remind them that regardless of result, they are some of the best players and teams in the world, and for those I got to interview, I did my best to build them up and share some of the adversity they had overcome, and celebrate their success. It was especially unique to balance the responsibilities and tendencies of both Western and Eastern league of legends, as both fanbases and cultures operate slightly differently. Finally special thanks to the homies Jojo, Busio, Corejj, Berserker, Jose, Inspired, and Isles, Spawn, Reignover, and Enatron for the chats after all these years in the LCS together. I'm grateful and thankful for the memories, I'm optimistic about the future of league, and am excited for the next opportunity to share with ya'll. GG! 📸:@colinyoungwolff

💙Thank you @ShenUesports🧡 Shenandoah concluded their stream raising $5,536.67 USD benefiting @jedfoundation!! #GFG26

Incentives are in for @ShenUesports🗳️ ⏰ 10:30pm - 10/22 ➡️ 11:00pm - 10/25 🔗 twitch.tv/shenandoahesports Campaign link: tilt.fyi/nCaz4qz9QA Donation link: tilt.fyi/omdRN7ixtx #GFG26

HELLO RICHMOND Can’t wait to see you again 🤝 Excited to join the @ShenUesports team for LAN

𝐀𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐦 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧 Alyssa will join our tournament admin team as a leader with extensive experience in member program & competition council leadership, as she seeks new full-time opportunities. Welcome, Alyssa! ⚡️

Congratulations Zander 💙❤ Esports Lecturer, Zander Merle-Smith, will be stepping into our Director of Esports position beginning in August. As a core member of our administration team over the past four years, we look forward to seeing Zander transition into this new role. #BeyondGaming

We had some items to consider and got in a bit late however I am proud to announce: I will be running for the NACE Board of Directors this year at the national convention!

The Redline Series marks a premier collaboration between Richmond Raceway and Shenandoah University Esports bridging the gap between motorsports, competitive gaming, and education in the region. 🏎April 15th will be the first event in this series: the Redline Showcase. This event will take place in Richmond Raceway’s Media Center right in the center of the racetrack! Show matches will feature scholastic Rocket League teams from across the DMV region- including Henrico County Public Schools, University of Mary Washington, and Shenandoah University. Attendees will be able to gain a behind-the-scenes view of esports broadcast production, trial Sim Racing, cheer on regional scholastic esports teams, and learn more about how to get involved with a full-scale event coming this Fall. 🏁Register Here: richmondraceway.com/events/r… #suesports // #BeyondGaming // #event