The Guangzhou Charge is parting ways with head coach Lee “Arachne” Ji-won and assistant coach Kim “Daemin” Dae-min, the team announced today.
This move comes after an underwhelming 1-3 start to the season and failing to qualify for the May Melee knockout rounds.
The Charge is the second Overwatch League team in the East region to make major coaching changes early into the season. The Hangzhou Spark released head coach Hwang “Pajion” Ji-sub last week amid the team’s 0-2 start.
Arachne joined the team from the San Francisco Shock where he was an assistant coach during the team’s second championship run. He was one of two Shock coaches to be hired to a head coaching position on another team — the other being Choi “Junkbuck” Jae-won going to the Houston Outlaws.
In contrast to Junkbuck’s team getting off to a hot start, the Charge stumbled out the gate, getting swept by the Shanghai Dragons, Hangzhou Spark, and Seoul Dynasty. The team’s only victory came in a sweep against the winless Los Angeles Valiant squad.
Daemin was hired alongside Arachne as a part of the team’s offseason moves. Daemin is a former Overwatch League player for the Shanghai Dragons in season one. Most recently he was a coach for Korean Contenders squad Element Mystic.
The Charge is set for a break while the top four teams in the league battle in the May Melee this weekend. They return in the first East region game of the June Joust qualifiers against the Hangzhou Spark on May 22 at 4am CT.
