ENCE Academy coach introduction: George "Whitey" White

Random fact about yourself
I couldn’t grow a hair on my body/face until I was 19. 😂

Favorite CS map?
Overpass and old Cobblestone.

If you could change one map for another, which would it be?
Overpass for Inferno or Cobblestone for Train.

If you could change one thing in any map, what would it be?
I would love to see some form of adjustment to the Mirage B site linked to Middle. I think A site is perfect.

Favorite game outside of CS and why?
Probably FIFA/EA SPORTS FC because I love football. I also used to be a mega DayZ fan as that’s what got me into PC gaming, Arma 2 DayZ mod etc.

When did you start playing CS?
I started playing CS properly around 2014. I originally played from 2012, but barely touched the game.

How did you get into coaching?
I got into coaching at a young age, as my dad was a coach and really wanted me to push far in football. I played competitive football up until the age of 17 when I fell out of love with the game. I then diverted my passion into management, the tactical side, the analytical side, and the pure beauty of helping someone grow, both inside and outside the game, as a coach.

I played Counter-Strike competitively as a player at local LANs and online tournaments for a few years, whilst coaching football on the side as a passion and hobby. I then thought, how could I elevate the Counter-Strike coaching scene with different elements of traditional sports and incorporate that into esports.

Describe your coaching style
I help people understand themselves better as a person, both inside and outside of the game, and to help them maximise their true potential in every aspect possible. If my coaching has helped you grow as a player and/or as a person, I have succeeded.

What is your favorite topic to coach about?
Mentality. The beauty of understanding your mind in your day-to-day life and game practice to maximise your potential.

What’s the best thing about coaching?
Seeing growth. Sometimes it can happen instantly, but the best feeling for me is looking back on how a player was when they first joined and the small qualities they have now - it gives me goosebumps every time a small moment happens. It’s not all your work - of course, it's the guidance, but it's an incredible feeling to know you played some part in that growth. It stays with me for a lifetime.

What have YOU learned from coaching Academy & Prospects players?
The list could be huge. 

What I have learnt is that, especially from a Finnish standpoint, you can bring the player's characteristics further and further towards extroversion from introversion. They start to understand traits they never had by feeling more confident in expressing themselves. This has been a great thing to achieve with many of them because it is easier to target things we need to work on and things they can focus on themselves individually. 

On top of this, I have learnt that it’s best to first understand them on a personal level rather than in-game level - this opens a range of tools to work with as we slowly dive into in-game specifics. As usual, to bring the players into the program, the in-game specifics have already been scouted and analysed by myself so the next step is personal level! 

Lastly, Patience. 😂

What is your ultimate goal for ENCE Academy?
Of course, our utmost effort is to ensure that each and every player goes on to excel in their careers, whether it be in ENCE, another organisation, or in their life in general. 

We want to give these players experiences and memories that will allow them to find key qualities to grow as human beings.

The ultimate goal for ENCE Academy and me is to find many talented players, build a foundation, and develop them into rising stars. If they grow as a player, great - but if they grow as a person, even greater. 🧡

What’s your favorite memory about ENCE Academy?
I have to say the Lofoten trip with the first roster variation. It was a trip I will never ever forget. 

Lithuania's showmatch in 2024 was also a really nice moment for us as a team. But more recently, the Nordic Championship - this trip for me was the happiest I’ve been. The Counter-Strike we played, and how we dealt with the whole trip as a team, gave me goosebumps.

Other little accolades along the way I will always remember:

HENU CCT Malta Finals stand-in for the main team, beating Team Spirit and w0nderful in a 1v1 post-plant retake to clutch out the map on Mirage 19-17.

Podi, and now, myltsi, reaching the ENCE main roster - it’s one of our top goals.

3 years of ENCE Academy and hopefully another 3 to come - I will cherish these moments for the rest of my life and will continue creating more moments alongside our amazing team!

Three aspects of a great player
There are many aspects I look into from a player that I think make them great:

1. Raw mechanical skill.
2. Overall decision-making in different scenarios - especially in rounds under pressure.
3. Mental toughness and mentality towards the game and life itself - how they envision the game and themselves whilst competing.
4. Personality - I think it is important to have personality traits to be a great player. How to be a teammate, how to act professionally, the list goes on.

What would you say to a young aspiring player?
Don’t give up. It’s a tough sector to compete in any game, any role - to reach the top, you have to prioritise balance as well as sacrifice.

Short-term goals - work towards them, build a foundation, set a time frame, review and repeat or recreate new goals. Adapt - Learn - Overcome.

Speaking with close family and friends, having a support network is massive when you start your journey. Some graceful people don’t always have this, but if you stay true to yourself and your goals, the results and success will come.

Don’t fear asking for help - Don’t fear failure - Don’t expect instant success.

Closing words
I hope some of these answers have helped you understand me a little bit more as a person and maybe helped in some ways. I am always open to answering more questions from people on social media. 

All the best and thanks for reading.