Watching a final on stream, it all looks effortless: perfect rotations, split-second calls, a comeback that sends the chat into meltdown. What viewers don’t see are the weeks of grind that come before it. For most competitive teams in Malaysia, tournament preparation looks less like glamour and more like a very disciplined day job.
Scrims are the bread and butter
Scrimmages, or “scrims”, are practice matches against other teams. A typical squad may play several blocks of scrims every day in the run-up to an event, often against teams from Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore so they can test ideas against different regional styles.
The point is not to win every scrim. Coaches often ask players to repeat one draft or one strategy over and over until it becomes second nature, even if it means losing a few games along the way.
VOD review: the unglamorous secret weapon
After scrims comes VOD review, short for video on demand. The team sits down, sometimes for hours, and rewatches its own games. Analysts pause on key moments and ask simple questions:
- Why did we take that fight?
- Who made the call, and did everyone hear it?
- What did the enemy jungler do that we didn’t expect?
Good teams treat mistakes as data rather than blame. A player who admits “my bad, I was out of position” helps the whole team improve faster.
Communication drills
Many matches are lost not because of mechanics but because of messy comms. Teams practise short, clear callouts in an agreed language. In Malaysian squads it is common to hear a mix of English, Bahasa Melayu and a bit of Cantonese or Tamil, but the key calls are usually kept short and consistent so nobody hesitates.
Rest, food and routine
Burnout is real. Experienced coaches now build rest days into the schedule and encourage players to sleep at reasonable hours before a tournament rather than pulling all-nighters. Simple routines like a proper breakfast, a short walk and a fixed bedtime make a measurable difference to focus.
The best teams are not the ones that practise the longest. They are the ones that practise with a purpose.
Matchday
On the day itself, the work is mostly mental. Teams warm up with a few light games, review their opponents’ tendencies one last time and agree on a plan B if the first draft goes wrong. After that, it is about trusting the preparation.
If you are part of an amateur squad, you can borrow the same habits on a smaller scale. Book regular practice sessions, record your games and spend ten minutes reviewing one mistake each time. For more on building a team, read our feature in the Esports section.
