SK Gaming announce Project Avarosa for female and non-binary League players
SK Gaming on YouTubeSK Gaming have announced Project Avarosa, a program that aims to build a League of Legends team of female and non-binary players.
German-based esports org SK Gaming have revealed Project Avarosa. The initiative will look to give support and training to a League of Legends team comprised of female and non-binary players.
SK Gaming’s release about Project Avarosa stated that they had been developing the project for two years as they “worked hard to find the most authentic way to offer support and resources to women and members of the LGBTQ+ community.”
LECProject Avarosa
Women have historically struggled to break into the professional League of Legends scene, especially as players. Maria “Remilia” Creveling was an early pioneer, became the first woman to play in North America’s LCS in 2015. Vaevictis Esports fielded an all-women team that went 0-28 during the 2019 LCL season in Russia. However, the examples of women making it as players are few and far between.
While women have found success in fields such as casting, with individuals like Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere, Georgia “Troubleinc” Paras, and Indiana “Froskurinn” Juniper Black all being synonymous with the game, it remains a mountain for women to climb.
SK Gaming have been seen as a leader in women’s esports for the best part of two decades. Their women’s CS:GO team, SK Ladies, was especially prolific in the early 2000s. The Köln-based organization is apparently looking to build on that legacy with the announcement of Project Avarosa.
According to the website for the project, Avarosa’s goal is “scouting and promoting a League of Legends team consisting of female and non-binary players”. Players accepted to the program will receiving training at “up to” five boot camps held between October and December 2021. They will also be given use and access to SK Gaming’s facilities in Köln.
SK GamingEligible candidates for Project Avarosa must be at least 16 years old, have a League of Legends ranking of Platinum 2 or higher, identify as female or non-binary, and be a European resident, preferably in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland.
What is Project Avarosa?
However, none of the released materials relating to Project Avarosa explicitly say what the goal of the project is. In the section about the benefits of the program, “casting and promotion of an amateur team” is the first thing on the list. But there’s no further clarification on what will mean in practice.
The DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) does have a regional League of Legends league, the Prime League, but SK Gaming already operate a team there – their academy team SK Gaming Prime. It is possible that Avarosa could be entered into one of the Prime League’s seven other divisions but that would keep the team a strictly amateur outfit.
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The official press release from SK Gaming also points to a lack of clear vision for Project Avarosa.
“We are not making bold promises that we will change esports overnight, or that by next year we will have a mixed team play in the LEC, but we do want to contribute and be part of the change. We want to level the playing field as much as possible and give a diverse roster of people the chance to thrive in competitive gaming. In the meantime, we welcome the community’s feedback.”
SK Gaming also released a video starring Troubleinc alongside the press release, but it does not shine any more light on what Project Avarosa is all about.
Applications for Project Avarosa are open until September 23, with the first boot camp slated for October 1. Dexerto have reached out to SK Gaming for more details on Project Avarosa.
