Today, we’re talking to Nick “AHighShyGu” Cihlar, the In-Game Leader for Davenport’s Rainbow Six Seige squad. See how he got started, how he leads his team to victory, and what tips he has for players who want to join college teams!
Special thanks to Colin Graham for giving us access to the players!
What first got you into games?
Watching my brother play Call of Duty 2: Big Red One and Company of Heroes when I was roughly six-years-old. Ever since then, I would hop on his Playstation 2 and play for hours.
What drew you to Rainbow Six?
What drew me to Siege was how tactical the game looked in its initial E3 trailer. Even after that, I saw what the game was aiming to be. Call of Duty was mindless play, and I wanted something like CS:GO on a console. Siege looked to offer just what I wanted.
What is your position on the team? What do you like about it?
I am the IGL of the team. I like the position because it allows me to show my knowledge of the game. In a sense, I see myself as having an overarching leadership role in my life and the game expresses that well.
Do you prefer to play a more defensive style or an aggressive style? Why?
With Siege evolving and ever-changing, it’s hard to answer. In the early days, I enjoyed playing more passively. As of now, however, I enjoy the aggressiveness that roaming and entry fragging offer. Siege has a balance of being slow and tactical and wide-swinging like a crazy person. Each season offers a shift in that balance, so I have to get used to both. In some seasons I prefer the slow pace, in others, I prefer the crackhead energy the game can bring.
What do you see as your team’s main advantage?
I see my team’s main advantage being defense. We are a strat heavy team. We like to set up strats and apply them to as many maps as possible. With that being said, it’s all about funneling the enemy into a meat grinder and getting easy frags. If not being a defensive-oriented team, I would say the next best thing would be our ability to adapt as of lately.
What advice do you have for younger players who are hoping to join a college team?
The best advice I can give is to stay on top of homework, while still finding ample time to grind and be the best. As an athlete, school comes first and you need to retain grades in order to play. Winning and being the best is nice, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t compete.
When you’re not practicing Rainbow Six or studying, what games do you play?
I play a lot of R6 when I’m not practicing. It’s a game where I am to be like one of the best, such as King George. If I’m not playing Siege, I tend to keep to FPS games like CoD or Battlefield.
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Find out more about the Davenport University Esports teams here!
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