After helping players navigate offers and adjust to life stateside, I started noticing a trend, some of the best European talents weren’t chasing professional contracts at all. They were looking for something deeper: sustainability, education, and a new kind of exposure.
That’s where Casper, known in-game as Aliplane comes in. Casper is a 21-year-old Dutch League of Legends player who made a bold decision. Despite his success in Europe, he chose to study and compete in North America. Most would say that’s a step down competitively. But what if it’s actually a step forward?
One of the top concerns I hear from aspiring EU players is that the path to pro is too narrow and too uncertain. You’re either in an ERL team grinding for the LEC or you’re forgotten. The environment in Europe is ruthless. It breeds excellence, yes, but it also breeds burnout, self-doubt, and tunnel vision.
Casper described it perfectly: playing in Europe felt like competing with weights on. The structure, the hierarchy, the constant proving of yourself every split while also trying to figure out your life path? It’s exhausting. Many players silently carry fears they rarely voice: “What if I’m not good enough?” “What happens if I fail?”
But underneath those surface problems is a deeper issue no one talks about: esports, for many, becomes an identity trap. Your worth gets tied to your rank, your team, your win rate. There’s no fallback plan. And that’s not sustainable.
When I first met Casper, he was exploring the idea of studying abroad not to give up on esports, but to expand his future. He had already been competing at a high level in the Netherlands and across EU tournaments.
He didn’t want to give up gaming. He wanted to evolve through it. And that’s what Ball State University offered, an esports program, an American Sign Language minor (his unique interest), and the opportunity to live the full U.S. college experience.
Now at Ball State University , he’s growing as a person. He practices with his team, competes in weekly matches, and has already hit Top 100 in the U.S. collegiate scene. But more than that, he’s found friends, learned across cultures, and stepped into psychology studies he never saw himself pursuing.
The payoff? He’s no longer just a player. He’s a student-athlete, a campus community member, a growing adult with options and yes, still an absolute demon on Summoner’s Rift.
Here’s the truth that most young esports hopefuls need to hear: you don’t have to choose between competing and planning for the future. You can do both. Casper’s decision to transition from the EU scene to collegiate esports in the U.S. is a blueprint for sustainable growth.
Step 1: Reframe the Goal. Instead of seeing pro status as the only outcome, aim for growth, exposure, and experience. Collegiate esports gives you that structured play, coaching, tournaments, and a support system.
Step 2: Choose a school that matches your interests beyond gaming. For Casper, the deciding factor wasn’t just esports, it was the ASL program and environment. That diversity of interest is what makes him stand out.
Step 3: Stay realistic, but stay open. Casper isn’t chasing the pro dream blindly. He’s open to the opportunity if it arises, but grounded in the reality of building a future that’s about more than the next match.
What Casper has now that he didn’t in the EU is perspective. He’s still competing at a high level. He’s gaining visibility. But he’s also gaining confidence in his gameplay, in his identity, and in his long-term vision. He no longer has to live with the fear of “what if I fail.” Because now, even if the esports route changes, he has a degree, a network, and a life skill set that transcends the game.
If you’re a player, parent, or coach thinking about the next step whether it’s collegiate esports, international study, or building a future-proof career in gaming I want to help.
That’s where Casper, known in-game as Aliplane comes in. Casper is a 21-year-old Dutch League of Legends player who made a bold decision. Despite his success in Europe, he chose to study and compete in North America. Most would say that’s a step down competitively. But what if it’s actually a step forward?
One of the top concerns I hear from aspiring EU players is that the path to pro is too narrow and too uncertain. You’re either in an ERL team grinding for the LEC or you’re forgotten. The environment in Europe is ruthless. It breeds excellence, yes, but it also breeds burnout, self-doubt, and tunnel vision.
Casper described it perfectly: playing in Europe felt like competing with weights on. The structure, the hierarchy, the constant proving of yourself every split while also trying to figure out your life path? It’s exhausting. Many players silently carry fears they rarely voice: “What if I’m not good enough?” “What happens if I fail?”
But underneath those surface problems is a deeper issue no one talks about: esports, for many, becomes an identity trap. Your worth gets tied to your rank, your team, your win rate. There’s no fallback plan. And that’s not sustainable.
When I first met Casper, he was exploring the idea of studying abroad not to give up on esports, but to expand his future. He had already been competing at a high level in the Netherlands and across EU tournaments.
He didn’t want to give up gaming. He wanted to evolve through it. And that’s what Ball State University offered, an esports program, an American Sign Language minor (his unique interest), and the opportunity to live the full U.S. college experience.
Now at Ball State University , he’s growing as a person. He practices with his team, competes in weekly matches, and has already hit Top 100 in the U.S. collegiate scene. But more than that, he’s found friends, learned across cultures, and stepped into psychology studies he never saw himself pursuing.
The payoff? He’s no longer just a player. He’s a student-athlete, a campus community member, a growing adult with options and yes, still an absolute demon on Summoner’s Rift.
Here’s the truth that most young esports hopefuls need to hear: you don’t have to choose between competing and planning for the future. You can do both. Casper’s decision to transition from the EU scene to collegiate esports in the U.S. is a blueprint for sustainable growth.
Step 1: Reframe the Goal. Instead of seeing pro status as the only outcome, aim for growth, exposure, and experience. Collegiate esports gives you that structured play, coaching, tournaments, and a support system.
Step 2: Choose a school that matches your interests beyond gaming. For Casper, the deciding factor wasn’t just esports, it was the ASL program and environment. That diversity of interest is what makes him stand out.
Step 3: Stay realistic, but stay open. Casper isn’t chasing the pro dream blindly. He’s open to the opportunity if it arises, but grounded in the reality of building a future that’s about more than the next match.
What Casper has now that he didn’t in the EU is perspective. He’s still competing at a high level. He’s gaining visibility. But he’s also gaining confidence in his gameplay, in his identity, and in his long-term vision. He no longer has to live with the fear of “what if I fail.” Because now, even if the esports route changes, he has a degree, a network, and a life skill set that transcends the game.
If you’re a player, parent, or coach thinking about the next step whether it’s collegiate esports, international study, or building a future-proof career in gaming I want to help.