Interviews,
in which we find out a little about our heroes
You can never have everything you want. Since the time you are little your parents will tell you that you can not do what you want and make money, while doing it. It’s an axiom.
And then there are pro players.
This week we are meeting the rising stars of League of Legends in NA. They did great at GamesCon and IEM, faced against top world teams. This year they are trying out for LCS.
Each day we will do an AMA with one of the players. We’ll kick off tomorrow.
Let’s meet the members of Strike 5.
October 7th, 2013
By Starfall.
Starfall: Today our guest is Alex “Doranson” Dolohov, top lane player of Strike 5.
Alex: Hallo.
Starfall: So, Alex. I’m just going to throw out random questions at you, that fans have piled on top of us. What brought you to Strike 5?
Alex: Ah. John… Greywind, I mean. When he was compiling the team, he went through highest ranked players of NA and found me. We did a few phone interviews, then he flew to Toronto to meet with me, we played a few LAN tournaments, GameCon, IEM, Dreamhack… And here I am.
Starfall: Do you like living in a gaming house?
Alex: Yes and no. I like that my whole team is right here and we can practice whenever. But I also hate that they are all right here… I’m a private person and have never lived with roommates. It gets hard.
Starfall: Who is the hardest to live with?
Alex: Probably all of us are pretty bad. Different habits, different priorities.
Starfall: Who does the shot calling for the team?
Alex: Well, John comes up with strategies, but most of the calls actually come from babyHawk, since he is the jungler. He calls fights, but Pepper is the one calling out for objectives, since she keeps an eye on the timers.
Starfall: Who is your favourite top player?
Alex: Darien from Gambit Gaming. His feel for the game is absolutely unrivaled.
Starfall: What’s your favourite color?
Alex: Blue, with grey close second.
Starfall: A question from our girl fans: are you single?
Alex: Like most gamers – yes *smiles*.
Starfall: Doranson, thank you for your time. Ladies and gents, tune in tomorrow for more!
Alex: Hallo.
Starfall: So, Alex. I’m just going to throw out random questions at you, that fans have piled on top of us. What brought you to Strike 5?
Alex: Ah. John… Greywind, I mean. When he was compiling the team, he went through highest ranked players of NA and found me. We did a few phone interviews, then he flew to Toronto to meet with me, we played a few LAN tournaments, GameCon, IEM, Dreamhack… And here I am.
Starfall: Do you like living in a gaming house?
Alex: Yes and no. I like that my whole team is right here and we can practice whenever. But I also hate that they are all right here… I’m a private person and have never lived with roommates. It gets hard.
Starfall: Who is the hardest to live with?
Alex: Probably all of us are pretty bad. Different habits, different priorities.
Starfall: Who does the shot calling for the team?
Alex: Well, John comes up with strategies, but most of the calls actually come from babyHawk, since he is the jungler. He calls fights, but Pepper is the one calling out for objectives, since she keeps an eye on the timers.
Starfall: Who is your favourite top player?
Alex: Darien from Gambit Gaming. His feel for the game is absolutely unrivaled.
Starfall: What’s your favourite color?
Alex: Blue, with grey close second.
Starfall: A question from our girl fans: are you single?
Alex: Like most gamers – yes *smiles*.
Starfall: Doranson, thank you for your time. Ladies and gents, tune in tomorrow for more!
Starfall: It is the second day of the week-long interviews with Strike 5. Today we have the jungler, Kurt “babyHawk” Keaton with us.
Kurt: Hey Starfall. You are even prettier in real life.
Starfall: *uncomfortable smile* Thank you. What brought you to LoL?
Kurt: Grey. I followed him around from game to game for years. Started with Diablo II, play WoW for years, now it’s League. Never thought we’d go pro, though.
Starfall: Do you like being a pro player?
Kurt: What’s not to like? I play video games for money.
Starfall: How about the gaming house, do you enjoy living with other members of the team?
Kurt: Well, I’m used to living with Grey, we shared a dorm in college. The others are okay too.
Starfall: Was it an easy transition from a college student to a pro player?
Kurt: I don’t think anything really changed. Still spend hours in front of the computer.
Starfall: Yesterday Doranson said that you make a lot of the action calls during games. Is that true?
Kurt: I guess. I just know when it’s time to go into a fight and when we should back out.
Starfall: Your champion pool is pretty selective, you prefer playing tanky champs. Why?
Kurt: I can play pretty much any champion in the jungle, I just like knowing that I’ll probably survive the fight. Also, I like taking the attention away from Grey and Sexy, so they can do the damage.
Starfall: What’s the most important position in the game?
Kurt: Mine, obviously. Wouldn’t be playing it otherwise.
Starfall: And favourite question of the fans: Are you single?
Kurt: For you? Yes. For everyone else it depends.
Starfall: And that’s a wrap. Guys, we’ll see you tomorrow with yet another person of the team!
Kurt: Hey Starfall. You are even prettier in real life.
Starfall: *uncomfortable smile* Thank you. What brought you to LoL?
Kurt: Grey. I followed him around from game to game for years. Started with Diablo II, play WoW for years, now it’s League. Never thought we’d go pro, though.
Starfall: Do you like being a pro player?
Kurt: What’s not to like? I play video games for money.
Starfall: How about the gaming house, do you enjoy living with other members of the team?
Kurt: Well, I’m used to living with Grey, we shared a dorm in college. The others are okay too.
Starfall: Was it an easy transition from a college student to a pro player?
Kurt: I don’t think anything really changed. Still spend hours in front of the computer.
Starfall: Yesterday Doranson said that you make a lot of the action calls during games. Is that true?
Kurt: I guess. I just know when it’s time to go into a fight and when we should back out.
Starfall: Your champion pool is pretty selective, you prefer playing tanky champs. Why?
Kurt: I can play pretty much any champion in the jungle, I just like knowing that I’ll probably survive the fight. Also, I like taking the attention away from Grey and Sexy, so they can do the damage.
Starfall: What’s the most important position in the game?
Kurt: Mine, obviously. Wouldn’t be playing it otherwise.
Starfall: And favourite question of the fans: Are you single?
Kurt: For you? Yes. For everyone else it depends.
Starfall: And that’s a wrap. Guys, we’ll see you tomorrow with yet another person of the team!
Starfall: It is that time again, when we talk to a Strike 5 member. Joining us now is John “Greywind” Grey, the mid player and the captain of the team. Grey, say hi to the fans.
John: Hi guys!
Starfall: A lot of people say that mid is the most important position in the game. Do you agree?
John: Well, I think every position is important, but strategically, if you lose mid, you’ll have more problems then if you fail at top or bot.
Starfall: Does that make you the most important player on the team?
John: Not at all. I think the key player is the jungler, since he keeps the pressure on all the lanes.
Starfall: Speaking of jungler, rumour has it that babyHawk is your best friend since childhood.
John: Rumors are true. Kurt and I have known each other since pre-school.
Starfall: How did you get the team together?
John: Well, I used to play World of Warcraft with babyHawk, Pepper and Imsexy. We were in the raiding guild and a few years ago all of us quit and LoL was one of the things we tried out. It became more and more interesting, we still played together and had lots of fun… Last year I decided to go in the competitive scene and invited them along.
Starfall: Do you think it’s better to play with friends than with random good players?
John: Absolutely. We’ve been playing together for so long that I know I can absolutely depend on all of them. I was a little worried since we didn’t have a top player, but Doranson has never made a bad call or failed as a member. Glad I found him, a great addition to the team.
Starfall: You are the mid player, the captain and for a while were the manager as well, why did that change?
John: Well, the stress of three jobs was taking its toll on me, so when Rachel offered to step in as a manager, I happily put that weight on her shoulders.
Starfall: And are you happy with the work she is doing?
John: Fully. She is great, very supportive and helpful, but she also knows how to make us work.
Starfall: That’s great to hear. Now, this is always my last question to the people I interview: are you single?
John: *smiles* Yes.
Starfall: Thank you, John. *To the camera* Don’t forget to watch us tomorrow!
John: Hi guys!
Starfall: A lot of people say that mid is the most important position in the game. Do you agree?
John: Well, I think every position is important, but strategically, if you lose mid, you’ll have more problems then if you fail at top or bot.
Starfall: Does that make you the most important player on the team?
John: Not at all. I think the key player is the jungler, since he keeps the pressure on all the lanes.
Starfall: Speaking of jungler, rumour has it that babyHawk is your best friend since childhood.
John: Rumors are true. Kurt and I have known each other since pre-school.
Starfall: How did you get the team together?
John: Well, I used to play World of Warcraft with babyHawk, Pepper and Imsexy. We were in the raiding guild and a few years ago all of us quit and LoL was one of the things we tried out. It became more and more interesting, we still played together and had lots of fun… Last year I decided to go in the competitive scene and invited them along.
Starfall: Do you think it’s better to play with friends than with random good players?
John: Absolutely. We’ve been playing together for so long that I know I can absolutely depend on all of them. I was a little worried since we didn’t have a top player, but Doranson has never made a bad call or failed as a member. Glad I found him, a great addition to the team.
Starfall: You are the mid player, the captain and for a while were the manager as well, why did that change?
John: Well, the stress of three jobs was taking its toll on me, so when Rachel offered to step in as a manager, I happily put that weight on her shoulders.
Starfall: And are you happy with the work she is doing?
John: Fully. She is great, very supportive and helpful, but she also knows how to make us work.
Starfall: That’s great to hear. Now, this is always my last question to the people I interview: are you single?
John: *smiles* Yes.
Starfall: Thank you, John. *To the camera* Don’t forget to watch us tomorrow!
Starfall: We are back with our Strike 5 interview series. Our today’s guest is the AD Carry, Shane “Imsexy” Henry.
Shane: Hey Starfall, hi fans.
Starfall: So, Shane, where are you from?
Shane: New York City, baby *wide grin*
Starfall: How do you like Cali?
Shane: It’s sunny and there are lots of beautiful ladies on the streets. My kinda place.
Starfall: I’ve heard that you play jungle pretty well.
Shane: True. But babyHawk is a better jungler than me, so I stick to my bot lane in tournaments and pro games. In ranked que I play anything, besides support.
Starfall: What do you think is essential to the success of your lane?
Shane: The communication between me and Pepps. But that’s never a problem, we understand each other way good.
Starfall: Do you ever think that there is a better support for you out there?
Shane: Nah. I’ve played with a few different supports in ranked and there is no one, who is as much on point as she is.
Starfall: Is it strange to have a girl on the team?
Shane: Nah. Pepps is one of the boys, except with girly parts.
Starfall: Why “Imsexy”?
Shane: ‘Cause I am. *grin*
Starfall: And as always, girls want to know: are you single?
Shane: At the moment.
Starfall: Pleasure meeting you, Shane. We will continue tomorrow, guys, you know the time!
Shane: Hey Starfall, hi fans.
Starfall: So, Shane, where are you from?
Shane: New York City, baby *wide grin*
Starfall: How do you like Cali?
Shane: It’s sunny and there are lots of beautiful ladies on the streets. My kinda place.
Starfall: I’ve heard that you play jungle pretty well.
Shane: True. But babyHawk is a better jungler than me, so I stick to my bot lane in tournaments and pro games. In ranked que I play anything, besides support.
Starfall: What do you think is essential to the success of your lane?
Shane: The communication between me and Pepps. But that’s never a problem, we understand each other way good.
Starfall: Do you ever think that there is a better support for you out there?
Shane: Nah. I’ve played with a few different supports in ranked and there is no one, who is as much on point as she is.
Starfall: Is it strange to have a girl on the team?
Shane: Nah. Pepps is one of the boys, except with girly parts.
Starfall: Why “Imsexy”?
Shane: ‘Cause I am. *grin*
Starfall: And as always, girls want to know: are you single?
Shane: At the moment.
Starfall: Pleasure meeting you, Shane. We will continue tomorrow, guys, you know the time!
Starfall: And we are back again, this time with Evgeniya “Pepperjane” Perchina, the support of Strike 5.
Pepper: Hey.
Starfall: Pepper, how does it feel to be the only girl on the pro scene?
Pepper: Like an adventure, but it does get lonely sometimes. Turning to my teammates and going “Hey, that guy is so hot!” just doesn’t have the right feel to it, ya know?
Starfall: *smiles* Yes, I think I do. What made you decide to go into gaming? It’s not a very girly thing to do.
Pepper: Well, I was going to be a motorcycle mechanic, that’s not very girly either. But I dunno, for a while we were joking around that we’d make a great team and mocked up future plans… And suddenly Grey is all serious about it and next thing I know, Shane and I are moving out to Cali. It just happened.
Starfall: You and Shane know each other for a long time?
Pepper: Oh yeah. We grew up together, suffered through high school together… He is family.
Starfall: Speaking of family, I understand that you are related to your current manager, Rachel?
Pepper: Yeah, Rache was married to my brother for a while. She was my idol when I was younger and when I decided to move out here, she came with me and started taking care of all of us, while we were trying to become a real team.
Starfall: What’s your role on the team?
Pepper: To make sure Shane doesn’t do stupid shit, make calls for objectives and keep everyone as much alive as possible.
Starfall: If there was an all-girl team out there, would you join?
Pepper: Nah. I like my guys. They are easier to talk to than girls.
Starfall: Which one of them is the hardest to be around?
Pepper: It’s between Doranson and Hawk. One is very closed off and the other is a pain in the ass.
Starfall: Who are the top three ADC’s you’d like to play with?
Pepper: Ooh! Definitely Genja, then maybe Aphromoo and Imp.
Starfall: I have a request here for a fuck, marry, kill for the following players: xPeke, Krepo and Ocelot.
Pepper: Too easy! Definitely fuck xPeke, marry Krepo, since he seems like the nicest of the bunch and like he’d appreciate me cooking for him… that means I have to kill Ocelot, even though he’s never done nothing to me.
Starfall: And of course, I can’t let you leave without asking, because it’s the whole community that wants to know: are you dating anyone?
Pepper: Nah, don’t really have the time for that. We practice way too much.
Starfall: Thank you Pepper, it’s nice to have a girl here for a change. Tomorrow we finish up our string of interviews, tune in!
Pepper: Hey.
Starfall: Pepper, how does it feel to be the only girl on the pro scene?
Pepper: Like an adventure, but it does get lonely sometimes. Turning to my teammates and going “Hey, that guy is so hot!” just doesn’t have the right feel to it, ya know?
Starfall: *smiles* Yes, I think I do. What made you decide to go into gaming? It’s not a very girly thing to do.
Pepper: Well, I was going to be a motorcycle mechanic, that’s not very girly either. But I dunno, for a while we were joking around that we’d make a great team and mocked up future plans… And suddenly Grey is all serious about it and next thing I know, Shane and I are moving out to Cali. It just happened.
Starfall: You and Shane know each other for a long time?
Pepper: Oh yeah. We grew up together, suffered through high school together… He is family.
Starfall: Speaking of family, I understand that you are related to your current manager, Rachel?
Pepper: Yeah, Rache was married to my brother for a while. She was my idol when I was younger and when I decided to move out here, she came with me and started taking care of all of us, while we were trying to become a real team.
Starfall: What’s your role on the team?
Pepper: To make sure Shane doesn’t do stupid shit, make calls for objectives and keep everyone as much alive as possible.
Starfall: If there was an all-girl team out there, would you join?
Pepper: Nah. I like my guys. They are easier to talk to than girls.
Starfall: Which one of them is the hardest to be around?
Pepper: It’s between Doranson and Hawk. One is very closed off and the other is a pain in the ass.
Starfall: Who are the top three ADC’s you’d like to play with?
Pepper: Ooh! Definitely Genja, then maybe Aphromoo and Imp.
Starfall: I have a request here for a fuck, marry, kill for the following players: xPeke, Krepo and Ocelot.
Pepper: Too easy! Definitely fuck xPeke, marry Krepo, since he seems like the nicest of the bunch and like he’d appreciate me cooking for him… that means I have to kill Ocelot, even though he’s never done nothing to me.
Starfall: And of course, I can’t let you leave without asking, because it’s the whole community that wants to know: are you dating anyone?
Pepper: Nah, don’t really have the time for that. We practice way too much.
Starfall: Thank you Pepper, it’s nice to have a girl here for a change. Tomorrow we finish up our string of interviews, tune in!
Starfall: Welcome back to the final interview with Strike 5. Today we are being joined by Rachel Stein, the manager of the team.
Rachel: Hello all.
Starfall: Rachel, what brought you to the gaming scene.
Rachel: The fact that I’m overprotective. Shane and Pepper grew up in front of me and I couldn’t just let them go and ruin their lives with no proper management.
Starfall: So, you are managing the ruining of their lives.
Rachel: *smile* Exactly.
Starfall: Are you a gamer at all?
Rachel: I can’t get the hang of it, really. It makes it a bit hard, but I know finance and I know business, so that’s the aspect that I can help with.
Starfall: Do you live in the gaming house as well?
Rachel: No, I have an apartment not far from it. I have a daughter who is too young to live in a house with five crazy people, who drink and curse like sailors.
Starfall: How old is your daughter?
Rachel: Libby is two and a half.
Starfall: Does it pose a problem, balancing the job and your family?
Rachel: No, if anything I know I have five irresponsible adults to babysit my kid. Actually, Grey, Shane and Pepper are very good with kids, so I’m never scared to leave my daughter with them.
Starfall: Thank you so much for your time, Rachel. So, thus concludes the Strike 5 interview series. Next week we’ll find something else to entertain you guys with!
Rachel: Hello all.
Starfall: Rachel, what brought you to the gaming scene.
Rachel: The fact that I’m overprotective. Shane and Pepper grew up in front of me and I couldn’t just let them go and ruin their lives with no proper management.
Starfall: So, you are managing the ruining of their lives.
Rachel: *smile* Exactly.
Starfall: Are you a gamer at all?
Rachel: I can’t get the hang of it, really. It makes it a bit hard, but I know finance and I know business, so that’s the aspect that I can help with.
Starfall: Do you live in the gaming house as well?
Rachel: No, I have an apartment not far from it. I have a daughter who is too young to live in a house with five crazy people, who drink and curse like sailors.
Starfall: How old is your daughter?
Rachel: Libby is two and a half.
Starfall: Does it pose a problem, balancing the job and your family?
Rachel: No, if anything I know I have five irresponsible adults to babysit my kid. Actually, Grey, Shane and Pepper are very good with kids, so I’m never scared to leave my daughter with them.
Starfall: Thank you so much for your time, Rachel. So, thus concludes the Strike 5 interview series. Next week we’ll find something else to entertain you guys with!