LCI grad signs on with Lethbridge College Kodiaks Esports team

By Garrett Simmons
Lethbridge School Division Communications

Last year, he was part of a national-championship-wining high school Esports team.
This year, former Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Samurais Esports standout Bradley Pike will ply his trade with the Lethbridge College Kodiaks in the Canadian Collegiate Esports League. Pike’s addition to the team was made official late Tuesday afternoon at a signing event at the college.
It represents the continuation of a journey that started four years ago, while Pike was just getting his start at LCI.
“It really came about in high school when I tried to start a club back in Grade 9,” said Pike, who added his dream of an Esports team at the school finally came about last year in his Grade 12 season.
Pike led the Samurais to a national title in the Canadian True North Esports League, as the LCI team captain paced his squad to a championship playing the character-based, multiplayer game, Valorant.
“Throughout the season we only lost one game in the regular season, and then we had an undefeated playoffs,” said Pike, who added his team’s expectations certainly shifted from the start of the year after a successful run through the 2022 winter season. “At the start of the playoffs, we definitely expected to win.”
After the LCI team’s success at nationals, Pike received several offers from schools south of the border. Ultimately, he decided to stay close to home.
“It was pretty tough (to turn down offers from American schools) but the main reason I took the Lethbridge College offer was because I want to help coach the LCI team,” said Pike, who added he will help coach the Samurais on Mondays and Wednesdays.
But his focus is on helping the Kodiaks compete in a post-secondary climate that brings about new challenges.
“The biggest thing with the college is we are playing against American teams, and they bring that need-to-win mindset, and they really take advantage of all of the rules they can,” he said. “They take the games a lot more serious than in high school.”
Pike will have two semesters at the college to adjust to the speed and skill of post-secondary players, and will also benefit from being part of the Kodiaks family.
“It’s wild to me to see how we are being treated like real athletes, and that’s what I have really noticed with the Kodiaks so far.”
Pike is the captain of the Kodiaks Valorant team, a group he became familiar with last season.
“Our first contact with Bradley was last year when we were piloting the Esports program, as he reached out to us to set up a scrimmage between LCI and the team we had at the time,” said Allyson Cikor Esports co-ordinator at Lethbridge College. “When we began planning for our first full year as a varsity Esports program, the leadership Bradley showed at LCI, his passion for Esports and of course his Valorant skills, seemed like a great fit for our new and quickly-growing Esports program, so we reached out to offer him a scholarship.”
Cikor added Pike has already made an impact at the college.
“He has really brought a lot of leadership and positive energy to the team, and we can’t wait to see them grow as we get further into the year,” said Cikor, who added Pike possesses the fast reflexes, hand-eye co-ordination, adaptability and tactical thinking the game requires. “Just as, if not more important than the technical skills, however, are things like good teamwork and communication, a positive growth mindset and the ability to stay calm under pressure and manage one’s emotions.”
The college Esports co-ordinator added recruiting for the Kodiaks also takes the program’s three pillars (academic accountability, athletic excellence and student athlete experience) into account.
“Bradley has all of these skills and more, and we’re proud to have him as a Kodiak,” said Cikor.
Those interested in following the Kodiaks via livestream can visit the Twitch channel at www.twitch.tv/kodiakesports