apEX Defends Vitality Coach XTQZZZ After HLTV Coach of the Year Award

Team Vitality captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire has strongly defended head coach Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam following criticism surrounding the HLTV Coach of the Year award, underlining the often unseen impact of coaching in elite CS2.

apEX Responds to Criticism of XTQZZZ

Speaking in an interview after the HLTV Awards, apEX addressed online skepticism about XTQZZZ’s contribution to Vitality’s success. The French in-game leader rejected the idea that a coach must be constantly visible or verbally dominant during matches to be effective.

“Obviously it’s not because you don’t suck your coach’s d*ck that he’s not good,” apEX said, emphasizing that coaching value goes far beyond timeouts and on-server calls.

According to apEX, XTQZZZ’s strength lies in preparation, structure, and human management — areas that rarely show up on broadcast but directly affect consistency and long-term performance.

Why XTQZZZ Won Coach of the Year

XTQZZZ received the HLTV Coach of the Year award after guiding Team Vitality through one of the most dominant seasons in Counter-Strike history.

Vitality’s 2025 Achievements:

• HLTV Team of the Year

• Two Major championships

• Playoffs reached at every event attended

• Multiple Tier-1 trophies across the season

apEX explained that such sustained success is impossible without strong coaching infrastructure, especially in a packed CS2 calendar where preparation and recovery are critical.

apEX Also Honored at HLTV Awards

In addition to defending his coach, apEX himself was recognized as HLTV IGL of the Year, further cementing Vitality’s sweep of leadership awards.

Meanwhile, Vitality’s roster dominated individual categories:

• ZywOo — Player of the Year, AWPer of the Year, multiple MVPs

• ropz — Closer of the Year

• mezii — Anchor of the Year

The results reinforced the idea that Vitality’s success came from a complete system — players, leadership, and coaching staff working in sync.

Coaching Impact Beyond the Server

apEX stressed that fans often underestimate the off-server responsibilities of modern CS2 coaches. XTQZZZ’s role included:

• Anti-strat preparation

• Managing pressure during long tournament runs

• Maintaining team motivation after repeated victories

• Supporting communication between players and analysts

“These things don’t appear in a demo,” apEX implied, “but they win championships.”

Looking Ahead: Vitality’s Focus After a Historic Year

Despite their historic run, apEX made it clear that Vitality is not complacent. The team is approaching upcoming tournaments one event at a time, prioritizing preparation over records or legacy discussions.

With XTQZZZ remaining at the helm and the roster intact, Vitality enters the next CS2 season as the team to beat — and with a renewed emphasis on the value of coaching at the highest level.