Happy Joe Day! (Yes, there IS a “Joe Day!”): Celebrating USC’s League of Legends Coach, Joe Jacko
-Written by Emily Maahs
To celebrate one of our newest members of USC Games staff/faculty, we’re taking a moment during “National Joe Day” (yes, it’s a thing) to celebrate USC’s League of Legends Coach, Joe Jacko. The interview below is from Emily Maahs, a Leader of USC Games League+ Club and USC Games Editorial Writer.
As a member of the USC Trojan Esports team, I have had the opportunity to learn from and work along-side our USC League of Legends Varsity Coach, Joe Jacko. Joe is at the forefront of guiding USC and its esports program towards great success, committing himself to coach his players in the best practices not just in League of Legends but off the Rift and in their lives as young adults as well. Under Joe’s coaching, USC’s League of Legends team was placed in ESPN’S top 25 teams in esports in his first year, was semi-finalists at DreamHack Anaheim (North American tournament with professional and collegiate team contenders), and improved its Collegiate League of Legends records from 3-3 to a more competitive 4-2.
I got the chance to sit down and learn more about Joe Jacko, his passions, his mission, and his journey from New Jersey to the ever-growing esports scene in Los Angeles.
What made you want to get involved in esports?
“I was super passionate about the game, League of Legends, LCS, and Riot Games. I wanted to be involved in a field that I love, not only as a competitor but to support players themselves. [While I was playing competitively] “there wasn’t a formalized path in becoming a professional League of Legends player as there is today.”
What made you want to get into coaching?
“I felt the academic side of esports was very underrepresented and I wanted to dedicate myself to creating great learning experiences in the space. In school, I really enjoyed studying communications and its direct ties to my own life and interests. My desire to be the best potential candidate for any job in esports steered me toward coaching.”
You switched majors from Engineering to Communication studies during your Junior Year: what prompted that change?
“The shift helped me realize that I was doing a lot of work in the communication realm, and I had the freedom and opportunity to choose exactly what I wanted to study. In most cases, I always came back to esports and further explored the topics of women and their work in esports. I studied gender communications in the gaming ecosystems, and really dedicated my time and work towards emphasizing a need for education and educating on the problems in the esports space.”
In dedicating his academic studies toward the sphere of gender education in esports, Joe realized how much he enjoyed being able to tie his academic background in communication to his everyday life and interests and felt that coaching was a lot more connected to his ambitions in the esports ecosystem than playing.
What made you want to come to USC?
“While I was doing interviews everywhere around the country, I had a great amount of fascination with USC particularly because of USC Games. For the first time in my entire life, I saw a celebration of games through and through. I wanted to work somewhere where people who shared the same interests and passions as me collaborated in a space where we all attached our lives to a game, the narrative, and the experience.”
You mentioned a recent instance where the team was behind in a “Best of Three” series and how you were so inspired by how they handled it - can you discuss that?
“Yes: the play really summed up the culmination of our team, all 5 of them converged on this one moment in a game. It embodied my impression of our team as a group. It highlights their real-life struggles, and how they were able to come together to conquer a challenge. I remember running outside and talking to my roommate, yelling about how we came back from a deficit. I was so proud of my team for having the mental fortitude to come back. They’re always willing to put up a fight.”
How has it been, getting comfortable with the role of just “being a coach,” and how the team responds to you?
“As an individual, I am still growing to this day, there is always room for growth. One thing that I really love about our team and about my work as a coach is that I am able to help the players both as competitive collegiate athletes and as people, and that really inspires me. I think we are all learning from each other, and it’s a really great community and support system.”
https://lowkey.gg/v/75431ce9-9924-4ba2-a4ad-4209ba6896bf (PLEASE PUT THIS VID IN)
The Feelings Are Mutual
For a day dedicated to “Joes” everywhere, but for USC Games / Trojan Esports, to Joe Jacko, I felt it was necessary to have the team speak about him from their own personal perspectives and experiences with their coach. Here are some words they shared.
“Joe is a really kind and considerate coach and friend! He’ll always put in a ton of time and effort into all of our practices. He has a way of giving us advice in a way that is supportive and never harsh. Not only that, but he also supports us mentally; whenever we tilt or feel down after a loss, he is always there to pick us back up. It feels like he genuinely cares about us and wants to see us improve. I really appreciate Joe, he’s the best coach! - Alice “Lynne” Qian
“I celebrate Joe Day and think of Joe Jacko because of his dedication toward improving the team, not just in League of Legends as players, but in our own personal growth as people. I really appreciate everything he has done for me and everything he has done for our team. He genuinely is a great coach and mentor. I’m really glad to have the opportunity to experience collegiate competitive play with someone as supportive as him. - Eddie “Meteoryte” Ansart
“I deeply appreciate how Joe has been so invested in wanting the best for us, not just as players but as people. He’s been super accommodating and supportive of us as players, students, and as young adults dealing with other problems in life as well. He has managed to be both very patient with us throughout our time with him, as well as encouraging and growth-focused, in that he would do whatever he can to help us push ourselves and grow as players. He just genuinely cares so much about us and it shows. Even though he is a superb analyst and League of Legends coach that has helped us grow so much as players, he also looks out for us as close friends. That aspect is what stands out the most to me and makes Joe truly a great coach.” - Arthur “Wuju Senshi” Bookstein
“Joe Jacko is without a doubt one of the best coaches I’ve ever had, compared to previous coaches (like soccer) and teachers who I was close with growing up. He’s very open-minded and has this level of compassion that I honestly strive to achieve one day! Not only that though, through my experience being on the League team, I can say with great confidence that Joe has become a great friend to us as well. He constantly is telling us how we can come to him with any of our problems, and he’ll always be all ears to try and give us some advice or help us in any way he can. He really is someone who I am grateful to have in my life, especially as a young adult and college student. It gives me hope for my future in esports and he serves as a great role model in general. Not to mention, he’s also hilarious and always knows how to lift someone’s spirits! - Daimyan “Inferno” Angulo
“I am really grateful for the time I’ve had with Joe. He’s incredibly sympathetic, hardworking, and dependable. Joe is an outstanding coach who helped me drastically improve at League of Legends to play the game at a collegiate competitive level. He has also taught me valuable life skills that I will always remember. Unfortunately, this is my last semester with Joe, but I will forever cherish the memories and laughs we shared. - Tran “Django” Ngo
“Joe has meant so much to me; beyond being a coach, he is a mentor in both League of Legends and in life. He has been there for me through personal problems all the way to helping me prepare for nerve-wracking interviews. Words cannot express how grateful I am for the opportunity to be on the team and have Joe as my coach. He has lead me and my teammates to improve as individuals and as a group.” - Samuel “Deamon” Moralejo
Get to know more about Joe:
Outside of his work at USC, Joe continues to bring his passion and ambition for esports everywhere he goes, such as coaching an all-girls high school team, Westridge’s Rocket League team. Joe is valued by everyone he encounters within USC as a force for positive change in the world of esports, and we at USC continue to be proud of all of his accomplishments and hard work. To learn more about Joe, check out these articles and connect with him on LinkedIn!
Trailblazing USC Coach Joe Jacko Discuss What Drives Him To Create A Better Way For Esports: https://www.playvs.com/news/joe-jacko-profile
USC Makes First-Ever Appearance in College League of Legends Poll: https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/28587270/usc-makes-first-college-league-legends-poll-appearance-program-history
Interview: USC LoL Head Coach Joe Jacko: https://efuse.gg/learning/k12/usc-esports