In working with collegiate esports players, one truth stands out: leadership in this space is earned, not assigned. Few embody this more authentically than Aleksander Andersson, known as “Aleks,” a Counter-Strike in-game leader (IGL) at Fisher College.
Aleks didn't arrive at college with all the answers. Like many student-athletes navigating esports and academics, he faced time crunches, team conflicts, performance pressure and learned how to lead from within.
His story reveals the unspoken challenges that many collegiate players face, but more importantly, it offers a roadmap for how leadership, empathy, and curiosity can elevate a team beyond talent alone.
Many college esports teams carry high expectations but little clarity. The known problem? Teams don’t always share the same competitive drive or priorities. Some players want to “go pro.” Others are playing for passion, not progression.
Aleks learned quickly that these competing motivations often create tension. But beneath that tension is a deeper, less discussed truth: most players have never been asked what they actually want. They’re treated like teammates, not individuals. And without understanding the people behind the gamertags, team cohesion suffers.
Aleks’s experience showed that being a team leader in a collegiate team is about emotional intelligence and adaptability. As IGL, Aleks tried something different: he asked his teammates what motivated them.
“What can I do to help you play better?”
“What would make you want to grind?”
“What type of feedback works best for you?”
Aleks quickly realized that:
Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, he began customizing his leadership. And it worked. This is where esports intersects with education. Aleks’s management classes particularly those on leadership and ethics provided frameworks for communication, conflict resolution, and motivational psychology. He wasn’t just learning; he was applying.
College esports is relentless. Aleks and his teammates juggled full days of classes, evening scrims, meal planning, and match prep six days a week.
What Aleks discovered was this: team tension wasn’t about “tryharding” or bad chemistry. It was about exhaustion, unclear expectations, and lack of personal space. By creating informal off-game touchpoints like gym sessions with teammates, Aleks built decompression time into the grind. These moments became mental resets, space for reflection, or even problem-solving zones that weren’t constrained by the PC screen.
This “off-server” culture, rooted in trust and shared humanity, kept their team aligned even when stress peaked.
5 Lessons Every Collegiate Player Can Learn from Aleks’s Journey
Asking teammates what they need is more powerful than telling them what to do.
2. Classroom Concepts Work In-Game
Conflict resolution, leadership styles, and communication theory have real, daily application in esports.
3. Define Success for Each Teammate
Not everyone shares the same goal. That’s okay, what matters is alignment, not uniformity.
4. Team Culture Needs Space, Not Just Strategy
Whether it’s a walk, a gym session, or off-topic conversation, emotional resets matter.
5. You Don’t Have to Sacrifice One Dream for Another
Aleks is proof that it’s possible to chase both a degree and competitive excellence with clarity, intention, and reflection.
Aleks’s team at Fisher reached Top 61 globally in CS, a huge achievement. But what’s more impressive is how they got there: not through brute force or solo talent, but through collective clarity and mature leadership.
In a college environment, players can’t simply walk away from conflict like in the pro scene. They live, learn, and grow together. That makes communication skills, emotional regulation, and mutual understanding mission-critical. Aleks’s story is a masterclass in how to lead from the middle not with authority, but with humility and genuine connection.
Aleks didn't arrive at college with all the answers. Like many student-athletes navigating esports and academics, he faced time crunches, team conflicts, performance pressure and learned how to lead from within.
His story reveals the unspoken challenges that many collegiate players face, but more importantly, it offers a roadmap for how leadership, empathy, and curiosity can elevate a team beyond talent alone.
Many college esports teams carry high expectations but little clarity. The known problem? Teams don’t always share the same competitive drive or priorities. Some players want to “go pro.” Others are playing for passion, not progression.
Aleks learned quickly that these competing motivations often create tension. But beneath that tension is a deeper, less discussed truth: most players have never been asked what they actually want. They’re treated like teammates, not individuals. And without understanding the people behind the gamertags, team cohesion suffers.
Aleks’s experience showed that being a team leader in a collegiate team is about emotional intelligence and adaptability. As IGL, Aleks tried something different: he asked his teammates what motivated them.
“What can I do to help you play better?”
“What would make you want to grind?”
“What type of feedback works best for you?”
Aleks quickly realized that:
- Some players are energized by raw competition.
- Others need encouragement or trust-building.
- Feedback timing can make or break a game day.
Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, he began customizing his leadership. And it worked. This is where esports intersects with education. Aleks’s management classes particularly those on leadership and ethics provided frameworks for communication, conflict resolution, and motivational psychology. He wasn’t just learning; he was applying.
College esports is relentless. Aleks and his teammates juggled full days of classes, evening scrims, meal planning, and match prep six days a week.
What Aleks discovered was this: team tension wasn’t about “tryharding” or bad chemistry. It was about exhaustion, unclear expectations, and lack of personal space. By creating informal off-game touchpoints like gym sessions with teammates, Aleks built decompression time into the grind. These moments became mental resets, space for reflection, or even problem-solving zones that weren’t constrained by the PC screen.
This “off-server” culture, rooted in trust and shared humanity, kept their team aligned even when stress peaked.
5 Lessons Every Collegiate Player Can Learn from Aleks’s Journey
- Leadership Starts With Listening
Asking teammates what they need is more powerful than telling them what to do.
2. Classroom Concepts Work In-Game
Conflict resolution, leadership styles, and communication theory have real, daily application in esports.
3. Define Success for Each Teammate
Not everyone shares the same goal. That’s okay, what matters is alignment, not uniformity.
4. Team Culture Needs Space, Not Just Strategy
Whether it’s a walk, a gym session, or off-topic conversation, emotional resets matter.
5. You Don’t Have to Sacrifice One Dream for Another
Aleks is proof that it’s possible to chase both a degree and competitive excellence with clarity, intention, and reflection.
Aleks’s team at Fisher reached Top 61 globally in CS, a huge achievement. But what’s more impressive is how they got there: not through brute force or solo talent, but through collective clarity and mature leadership.
In a college environment, players can’t simply walk away from conflict like in the pro scene. They live, learn, and grow together. That makes communication skills, emotional regulation, and mutual understanding mission-critical. Aleks’s story is a masterclass in how to lead from the middle not with authority, but with humility and genuine connection.