Training With The Pros: Jaydee


Last week we launched Training With The Pros, a series that profiles some of Australia’s best professional gamers. Due to the popularity of the series, we’re extending it, and to kick off week two we’ve got the caller of one of Australia’s top female Counter-Strike: Source teams, Jayde “Jaydee” Slabosz .

Jaydee is the in-game leader and “caller” of one of Australia’s leading female Counter-Strike: Source teams. A member of Vox Eminor, a professional gaming group that has teams competing in a number of e-sports, we caught up with Jaydee to find out who she is and how she trains.


Hi Jaydee! Can you introduce yourself to the Kotaku community?
My name is Jayde Elizabeth, my alias is “jaydee” and I’m a member and in-game caller for the female Counter-Strike: Source team in Vox Eminor. I have been gaming for five years, going on six years in May. I’ve been playing competitively for three years and wish I started earlier!

Our ranking currently in Australia is 4th in our group for the Sublime Invite League and 19th overall in the Cyber Gamer open ladder; unfortunately there aren’t any competitions running currently. Nevertheless we’re aspiring to compete in as many as possible both online and LAN.

The first online game I ever played was actually Counter-Strike: Source. My older cousin introduced me to the game and I was instantly captivated and wanted to play it all the time (much to the despair of my parents who just wanted a regular daughter, instead they got one who ignored Barbie dolls and chose a likening to a first person shooter game!)

When did you start playing Counter-Strike: Source competitively and what drew you to the game?
I started playing competitively in 2008. I was drawn to the game because of its uniqueness, I had never played a game like Counter-Strike: Source before and it excited me; the best part was being able to shoot boys in the face (especially my brother) and see them rage every day, haha!

What kind of skills do you consider crucial to playing Counter-Strike: Source at such a high level?
There are numerous skills, many vary depending on different teams and play styles, but for our team we like to focus on being able to communicate efficiently and accurately, also having patience and focus are huge aspects to first person shooter games like CS:S, and aim, of course.

What’s your training regime?
We train four to five days a week and we try to train for at least two to three hours during those nights, or at least do two to four map rotations against different teams. Our training is basically trying to execute our strategies and seeing which ones work on different teams. The best teams are the ones who can adapt to whatever team they are competing against. So our plan at the moment is being able to be consistent both in aim and structure but also being unpredictable and adaptable in strategies.

What are some of the rookie errors you often see people make?
A mistake I frequently see people make is they believe the best player is someone with the best aim. While aim is an important factor in CS:S it’s not everything. You also need to have “clue” which is being able to think and react in intense situations or even just playing smart against the opposing team. Persistence and dedication is also an important aspect in team games.

Do you have any tips for people who want to play at your level?
Have patience; after all, all good things take time and dedication. You can do anything you set your mind to and you’d be surprised how many people want to see you improve. But most of all do it for the fun. Life’s too short to be entirely serious about a game.

Can you show us your gaming set-up?

We asked Jaydee to name the equipment she uses in case any readers want to know the kind of gaming gear professional gamers prefer. As a sponsored team, Vox Eminor use a set-up provided by Razer.

Mouse: Razer Deathadder
Mouse Pad: Goliathus – Control edition.
Mouse Cord Control: Razer Mouse Bungee
Keyboard: Razer Blackwidow Ultimate
Headset: Razer Megalodon 7.1 Gaming Headset


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