Featured Tutor #2 - Zamrock

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Zamrock

Welcome to the first edition of our new project, Featured Tutor Interviews! We will interview tutors about Battling101 and their experiences with the program. This project will be hosted by Leftiez and me, Steve Angello. Today we will be interviewing Zamrock, Battling101 tutor.

  • Can you tell us a bit about your life outside Smogon?

~ Right now, I'm currently in college, even though I dont act my agea lot of the time. If I'm not studying, I am usually either on here, playing basketball or training in the weightroom. I don'tknowwhat i want to do with my life yet.

  • When did you join the Battling 101 program?

~ I joined around a few months ago. I think it was around the time POCL ended.

  • Why did you join Battling101 ?

~ I'll be honest, back when I was toxic and trashtalking pretty much everyone, I finally realized my mistakes and decided to use the knowledge I have to try to improve the community instead of just bashing it. After a while, I started developing a new set of principles to start being this role model to new players, showing them how fun this game can be and how far you can get into the community assuming you have a strong enough passion to aim to greater heights. Even though tutoring is time consuming, it's always a pleasure to expand my knowledge to new tutees to make them better.

  • Did you sign up as a tutee initially?

~ No, I was too cocky at the time to even consider it. However I do want to learn ADV OU soon, assuming we still have tutors for that tier.

  • What's your preferred style of battling?

~ I prefer bulky offense or balance teams. I am usually comfortable with anything that doesn't run Smeargle and Espeon on the same team...

  • What style do you encourage your tutees to follow and why?

~ That's something you can't really encourage. Every player is different in their own playstyle. What I do is teach all the styles being offense, balance, and stall. Usually, they are the ones to decide what style is most comfortable for them. If they still don't have a clue, bulky offense or balance is what I would recommend in terms of reliability.

  • Are there any patterns in your tutoring style?

~ It changes in different sessions. I'm not the most organized tutor in the world, but I just have a small list of things tocover when I tutor, which I divide into the ongoing weeks. For example, Week 1 I would first teach the meaning of Team Analysis, Predictions, and Long-Term Thinking. During Week 2, I would teach Hyper and Bulky Offense. I cover balance during Week 3. Week 4 is Stall. I always test my tutees before AND after the cycles to see any improvement.

  • How do you feel while tutoring ?

~ It's time consuming. But it's enjoyable.

  • Do you follow a process while tutoring?

~ I'm not organized. I just go with the flow during the weeks that I mentioned earlier.

  • What's your favorite strategy that you've run? This can be from any metagame or time period.

~ There is one thing a friend and I thought about during the 1st week of the Smogon Tour. Everyone is now running venusaur + 4-5 mons weak to gyarados. So we thought of a strategy to run gyarados + lure celebi. This celebi is a 3-Attack Life Orb set with Leaf Storm, Psychic, and Hidden PowerFire. Psychic is to beat Venusaur and Hidden Power Fire is for Ferrothorn. Celebis usually pass boosts, and usually can't do much back to the opposing mon with just a single attack, that's what makes the set cool as a lure. I love luring strategies and this was just a minor example of one. Get a strong win condition (Gyarados), know its checks (Venusaur, Ferro), get something that they usually switchinto (Celebi, Slowbro), pop them with a nice surprise to either kill or weaken them enough for your win condition to power through them (Fire Blast Slowbro or HP Fire Celebi)

  • Do you wish to get specific feedback from your tutee, and not just receive a grade?

~ I would rather not know for personal reasons. I just like to know if I'm doing a good job. Judging from my past success I would assume I'm doing ok.

  • If you could improve B101, what would you change?

~ I was getting kind of pissed when I kept getting 2 tutees per cycle after everyone ditched for SPL. I managed to convince a handful of new OU tutors to join, but more knowledgeable tutors are still encouraged to apply and join.


Thanks Zamrock for spending his time doing our interview, and feel free to ask him questions.
~ Steve Angello and Leftiez
 
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Loving this series of interview so far due to the awesome people we get to find out about like Zamrock! I also have a few questions I would like to ask:

  1. Who is your most successful or well known tutee you have taught?
  2. What do you look for in your tutees in order to push them to there max potential as a player?
  3. Do you have a set goal that you try to achieve with your tutee?
  4. Are there any current tutors in the "Battling101" program who you take inspiration or ideals from while tutoring?
  5. What do you believe makes a great tutor and can you give some examples of some great tutors?
  6. What do you believe you are best known for and/ or what is your greatest achievement as a player?
I am looking forward to seeing the next issue of this soon! Great work guys, keep them coming!
 
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1. If you could give an advice to new players that want to integrate our community, what it would have been ?

2. You mentioned that you started as a toxic player and then talked about "new set of principles" to solve it. Do you mind mentioning them ?

3. When tutoring are you trying to integrate your tutee as a player or as a person first ?

4. You mentioned that some people "ditched" theirs tutor post for SPL, do you think that tutoring while playing in tournament is hard ?
 
What do you think is the level required to be a tutor (aka tour accomplishments, level of knowledge etc.) ?
 

Clone

Free Gliscor
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Thoughts on SubFlail Pinsir? ;]

What do you feel is your best tier?

Favorite to win OST?
 
favorite song/music

favorite girl that plays mons

favorite pokemon team you built

favorite youtuber

ideal ou environment (what would you ban, unban)
 
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Rapture

I got so much time today
is a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnus
Was I your most skilled tutee so far? mhm i agree!

tips for players looking to break into the tournament scene

and finally opinion on adv ou so far?
 
I edited some questions, c'mon dude lets be serious 2 secs this is not a joke, next time i see those kind of questions i'll infract you, you can ask questions out of battling101 but it must be serious business.
 

Ragnarock

Banned deucer.
Lol oboy this is gonna be fun, lgi!

  1. Who is your most successful or well known tutee you have taught?
  2. What do you look for in your tutees in order to push them to there max potential as a player?
  3. Do you have a set goal that you try to achieve with your tutee?
  4. Are there any current tutors in the "Battling101" program who you take inspiration or ideals from while tutoring?
  5. What do you believe makes a great tutor and can you give some examples of some great tutors?
  6. What do you believe you are best known for and/ or what is your greatest achievement as a player?
1. So far its a tie between Ox The Box and LeremyJu. Ox The Box managed to hit number 1 on the OU ladder probably at least 3 times after I was finished tutoring him and also posted a RMT that helped him achieve his goal, so I say that's a given. LeremyJu, although people usually have a hard time understanding him, he's one of the hardest working tutees that tries to get better every single day. I told them both if they ever want to get known more in this community, they best start doing stuff like Smogtours and practice to get on WCoP teams that will happen in late May.

2. I mainly just want to see passion. I like to tutor people that want to get up to the next level of playing. I thrive on competition and I enjoy trying to help others reach that level of play and getting known within the community. Committment is another thing I would like my tutees to have if they are willing to learn the tier. OU is not an easy tier to learn and build for, since there are so many threats that it's impossible to check everything. If you dont want to play in the big leagues and just want to learn for fun, at least just show some dedication and interest so that the cycle can run smoothy for both you and I.

3. Goal = Make them better then they were before. Kind of obvious. However, it is mainly my tutees decision on whether or not they wanna continue playing to the top. I told them if you ever need anything, feel free to ask me after the cycle has ended and I will help as best as I can, however I will not be your crutch. So I guess another major goal would be to set them off on their own and become successful without the need of my assistance anymore.

4. Not really. Everyone is different when it comes to their own style of tutoring. I just do what's best for me and my tutee when it comes to learning

5. Porbably because I put my passion into tutoring. I love this game, but then again who doesn't on this site. I've spoken to former tutors that didn't like tutoring cuz it's either boring or they just get tutees that won't cooperate with them. But I think it's mainly that tutor's fault for signing up for something they know is gonna require work and disciple to teach these new players. You gotta love what you do or love the game, and I'm both in this matter. I don't know who is considered a great tutor, cuz like I said everyone is different. I did have BKC tutor me in DPP when we were on break cuz I wanted to improve my game for Smogtours and see how he teaches. He's great, dont get me wrong, but since he was the only tutor I've had experienced being tutored from, this is a tough question to answer.

6. I think i'm mainly known for my attitude, not my general skill level. I'm very aggressive when it comes to playing, meaning i dont lie to lose. So my attitude usually gets the best of me when I get haxed or my opponent makes a play I believe wasn't logical. I usually get crap for it, since it's not something people can control. However, I'm also known for my hard work and dedication to this crappy game, which was brought me into tours like SPL and currently doign well in Smogtours. I bet if I work on my attitude more and stop being so agressive I would be more successful in this community then I am now.

Thx 4 ur questions :]

1. If you could give an advice to new players that want to integrate our community, what it would have been ?

2. You mentioned that you started as a toxic player and then talked about "new set of principles" to solve it. Do you mind mentioning them ?

3. When tutoring are you trying to integrate your tutee as a player or as a person first ?

4. You mentioned that some people "ditched" theirs tutor post for SPL, do you think that tutoring while playing in tournament is hard ?
1.That depends on their goal. But, I say the main thing to get is connections. Connections helps you get known throughout the community, especially if you want to play in the big leagues like SPL or WCoP someday. I have my tutees get involved in individual tours and also read stuff from the OU discussion thread. Always keep learning about something, not just in pokemon, but also in life itself. Keep yourself growing and good things will come.

2. Lol. My new set of principles would be more on the line of being less concern about my feelings, and start living by my standards. Meaning, don't let yourself get angry over stupid oncontrolable shit like hax in the game, and release upon someone that isn't really at fault. The fault is your own in this matter. I wasn't able to see this until I saw all the reactions toward me within the community and I knew something had to be changed. My standards is just to play the game and have fun, ignore haters. You dont see many haters reaching up to SPL finals. Don't get angry in a childrens' game boys and girls, not worth it,,,

3. I keep personal shit outside of tutoring, so as I player first. If they don't know what they are doing or inexperienced, I don't bash them. Instead I show them what is wrong in a visual sense, whether being a replay or screen sharing off of skype (which is aids cuz bad computer), and teach them the correct way. I'm all about making players better at what they do, but obviously if your attitude is just as bad as mine was in the past, I'm not gonna heisitate to speak up.

4. I think you mean people ditched tutoring to focus on SPL first. And yeah I can imagine so. I wasn't drafted at the begining of the season, so I was still tutoring back then while doing Farm League (hype). After getting picked up midseason, I saw all thw work that was being done for SPL just to try to win their games for their team. It is understandable cuz you're not gonna get any better games anywhere else at this time rather than SPL, which is why so many tutors put their time into it. Tutees would probably just distract that concentration. It was a big deal to a lot of players, not something i'm sure some people don't agree with, but that's how it is.

What do you think is the level required to be a tutor (aka tour accomplishments, level of knowledge etc.) ?
Knowledge is key to anything, tour accomplishments is what you put on ur poke-resume that boosts your chance to tutor. Get a reference of someone that is currently a successful tutor to expand your credibility. MAKE CONNECTIONS!!

how do you feel about the smogon classic? any predictions for the bw cup that just started?
I'm winning the whole thing,,,,,, Lol. If I get "haxed out the tour" I hope someone that's a good friend of mine that knows the tier well like Soulwind, PDC, or whoever takes the tour

 

Ragnarock

Banned deucer.
Thoughts on SubFlail Pinsir? ;]

What do you feel is your best tier?

Favorite to win OST?
Lmao, SubFlail Pinsir is a god,,,,

ORAS OU as of now is where I place most my knowledge in. I know how to play the other OU tiers, just not how to build for them.

DA QUEEN!!!!!

how do you feel about the fact that your tutee ox the box has peaked #1 on the ladder more times than you have?
Lmao, fuck laddering,,,

What were your thoughts on the Giratina-O suspect test?
Thank god it was a joke, one less thing to prep for. Sub/CM/Sball/AuraSphere best set. ;] #FreeAegislash (ik, ironic, don't judge)

favorite song/music

favorite girl that plays mons

favorite pokemon team you built

favorite youtuber

ideal ou environment (what would you ban, unban)
oml lemme pull up the crisp itunes slot into a YT vid that'll blown ur mind, king of music in da buildin,,


Yung ears, I wouldn't recommend listening to, CUSE WORDS O-NO!! Ace Hood,,,

Ahhh I think we know who my favorite girl is here ;]

Gatr/Clef/Ttar/Drill/Lati/CharX - Fix the azu weakness please,,,, Tbolt lati isn't a check

I watch everyone, i dont have a favorite, shoutouts to joey, emvee, chimpact, tom bus, and shofu for keeping me entertained

Please get rid of lando-i.... seriously fuck that thing

Was I your most skilled tutee so far? mhm i agree!

tips for players looking to break into the tournament scene

and finally opinion on adv ou so far?
LOL I AGREE! (inside joke most of y'all don't get, dw about it)

Connections,,, CONNECTIONS!!!! Also do well in tours like Smogtours and other individual tours

I wanna know ADV OU, if it's more skillful than ORAS OU, then i'm going all in...
 

Ragnarock

Banned deucer.
Speaking of which,how do you go about making connections if you're a new player?
When a big tour begins to arrive, like WCoP for example, have a little background on what you did in the past in terms of success in past tours and TALK to the managers/captains. Introduce yourself, basically. Have a good attitude as well. You're only gonna get known doing well in big tours like smogtours, so keep your attention on that as of now. Hustle until you win g
 

Plus

中国风暴 trademark
is a Top Tutor Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis an Artist Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Researcher Alumnusis a Top CAP Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Advice for tutors on how to avoid "burning out" (e.g. going ham for 3 rounds straight and disappearing for a year)?

When is that "how to tutor" video coming out? =)

Favorite ball player/team? (doesn't matter if it's college/pro level)
 

Ragnarock

Banned deucer.
Advice for tutors on how to avoid "burning out" (e.g. going ham for 3 rounds straight and disappearing for a year)?

When is that "how to tutor" video coming out? =)

Favorite ball player/team? (doesn't matter if it's college/pro level)
I'd try to be a bit more organized and have a plan when you tutor, that way it's less confusion and if you managed to get "burned out," you'll still know what needs to be focus on during the sessions. Try to make tutoring as fun as possible for your tutee and also yourself. You don't have to just tutor the player, you can CAN establish relationships with them as well, just don't make it too personal and you'll be fine. I don't have examples on how to make tutoring more fun, so this is where you can expand your creativity. You ARE the tutor after all and being the role model here, so don't be afriad to make decisions.

LOL, lemme finish my exam that'son tuesday, and I'll get working on it, i promise,,,

EYYYYY, D WADE MIAMI HEAT BABY! (rip lebron,,)
 
Hey Wassup!
1:What are the timings and how much hours a day you devote for tuting your apprentice?
2:You may have faced people who think they are the worst in this world and always criticize themselves/their luck for every bad thing that happens to them!How do you tackle these tutees?How do you try to bring confidence in them?
 

Ragnarock

Banned deucer.
Ahhh damn, didn't think this thread was still open, so if one of the mods can lock it that'd be crisp

Hey Wassup!
1:What are the timings and how much hours a day you devote for tuting your apprentice?
2:You may have faced people who think they are the worst in this world and always criticize themselves/their luck for every bad thing that happens to them!How do you tackle these tutees?How do you try to bring confidence in them?
1. I used to do it probably around 6 hours a week (like 2 hours each day for 3 days) cuz there was so much to cover in ORAS. I know developed a system to cut it done to maximun of 4 hours a week as it should be enough to get everything I want to teach covered.
2. Lol... Yeah, my other demon side gets to me during those times, yet I do control it. As for the questions, I don't "tackle" them, I approach them with a sense of respect and basically encourage them to give it their best with the proper resources I provide for them to make them successful. Confidence is developed with experience in my opinion. I never had a tutee that did everything perfectly the first time, which is expected. It's best to watch them try and fail so they can teach themselves on what they should do if stuck in a corner. Learn from your mistakes to boost your confidence, and then kill it in your next fight.

I know this is late, but thank you for honoring me this again. n_n
 
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