- The organization hires Don “SyykoNT” Muir and Adam “kaplan” Kaplan as assistant coach
- Sentinels suffered several setbacks in recent times
- Rawkus says he is looking to join a new roster as an active player
The Sentinel’s VALORANT roster changes continue with the organization confirming the removal of Rawkus and the signing of new coaches.
Rawkus and Sentinels part ways
Changing the composition of a professional esports team is nothing new, but it is rare to see the intense level of roster shifting that Sentinels has been doing recently. The North American organization is once again making big changes to its VALORANT roster, this time focusing on the training staff.
Sentinels had significant roster shifts in recent history, with notable additions to the team including legendary CS:GO veteran Mike “Shroud” Grzesiek. However, it seems that nobody expected Sentinels to remove head coach Shane “Rawkus” Flaherty and hire Don “SyykoNT” Muir in his place. The team additionally signed Adam “kaplan” Kaplan as an assistant coach.
The new coaches’ experience varies quite a bit. SykkoNT was in charge of the XSET VALORANT roster during 2020 and 2021, so he has quite a lot of experience at the top of the professional competitive scene. His time with XSET ended just a few days ago when the whole roster, including the coaching staff, was put up for transfer.
Meanwhile, SykkoNT’s new assistant, Kaplan, seems to have a lot less of a prestigious background. He saw some success in the lower tiers of VALORANT’s competitive scene as the coach of Ghost Gaming, but him being signed by Sentinels is one big step for the coach.
What Are Rawkus’ Plans Now?
Rawkus’s departure was first announced by himself on Twitter. His post, titled simply “No longer Coaching Sentinels” was accompanied by a TwitLonger explaining his situation. The 28-year-old VALORANT pro wrote that he is no longer looking to coach, but instead is considering joining a team as an active player once again.
“I’m currently back on FaZe but LFT as a player, Jett/Sova/Smokes/Sentinel is what I’m comfortable with but willing to flex anything,” Rawkus wrote. “I feel I’ve only gotten better since taking a break, being able to change environments and watching them play has made me see the game in a completely new perspective and I’m extremely excited to return.”
Some speculated that Rawkus’ desire to play again has played a part in him leaving Sentinels. The organization suffered several setbacks recently, with Shroud pointing out a lack of training as the principal cause for that. Whatever the reasons for Rawkus leaving the Sentinels are, we might soon be seeing him play professionally once again.
