As much as we want this to be a weekly conversation with various local clans, players and industry bodies, we find it takes only the dedicated to actually reply. And one such dedicated clan is Calyx Clan who may be pretty new to the local scene, embody a passion that some more established teams can learn from.

So let’s all learn a little more about the origins of Calyx Clan and where they are planning to head in the future.

Hello. Introduce yourself to the readers. Go on.

Hello, my name is Matin Seedat, also known as Calyx Tinyoss. I have a YouTube channel by the name of Tinyoss Gaming and I am the owner of Calyx Clan.

When did the clan form?

The clan has been together for about 3 weeks after restarting the organisation. I was offered to be a content creator for Legacy Gaming, but after joining and being told what would happen, nothing ended up happening and I regretted ending Calyx to join Legacy because the owner ended up selling the team. I did however make some new friends there and I spoke to them asking whether they would be interested in joining a clan I had made and that’s how I restarted Calyx.

What is your platform (or platforms) of choice?

At the moment all of our competitive players are on PS4 but we do have a few PC gamers in the organisation.

What games does the clan enjoy?

At the moment we mostly play Fortnite but we also have a COD team being created for when Black Ops 4 is released and we will announce our roster for 2019 as soon as we try out the players we have selected for the team.

How was the clan name chosen?

That’s actually a funny story! I was sitting in a biology class last year and we were talking about the filtration in the kidneys. We had learned that there is a part inside of the kidney that plays a role in the process of filtration and that part is called the Calyx. I loved the sound of the word and it just clicked!

Who are the leaders of the clan and what is the organisational structure like?

We haven’t decided who the leaders are yet because I know that I will need more help running this organisation. I have decided that once all the teams have been chosen, the captains from each team will be managing the specific game that they play.

How many members do you have? Keen to give out their names, credit card details and ID numbers?
Alright, only names will do.

At the moment we have about 15 members in the organisation including the editors and designers, I must say they have done an amazing job revamping the team’s logo and banners as well as helping us promote the team. Well I’m sure I can give you my banking details if you would like to make a donation to the organisation. [Cheeky. We like it. – Undead Ed]

How often do you play together as a clan?

I try to play every day with all the guys but I am currently in matric so I don’t play as much as I’d like to but the guys in the team play together every day. It’s important that they get along and have a brotherly bond; it will just make the team stronger.

Do you consider yourselves a competitive clan, or one in it more for “the shits and giggles”?

We are most definitely a competitive organisation. My goal is to make this organisation internationally recognised and in a year or two buy a house for the organisation.

Has the clan participated in many tournaments? Which? Won any?

We have two of our players taking part in the ACE LAN for Fortnite on 18th August and by the time this is published I hope that we would have won the tournament. [The team was knocked out in the quarter final of the loser’s bracket. – Undead Ed] We have also taken part in a few ACGL tournaments and won but this is with COD when the organisation was founded.

Is attending LANs important to the clan and its members?

Yes, very important because it gives us the opportunity to meet each other more often and grow the bond we already have. In addition we get to meet other competitive players and we get the chance to learn new tips and tricks. The best part is that there is no need to worry about whether we have a strong internet connection or not.

Are you guys actively recruiting for new players? If so, how should a potential member contact you and how do you decide on who is right to join you?

Yes we are recruiting at the moment but its more to extend our branches and play on more platforms as well as to play more competitive games. If anyone is interested in joining they can contact me through my social media or the team’s social media and I will set up an interview as well as I will have some of the Calyx players try them out and see if they have what it takes to join. What we look for in a player is honour, respect, pride and dignity. These are four important traits that allow a person to excel in all aspects not only in a gaming aspect but in both mental and physical aspect as well.

What are you hoping to achieve in the future as a clan?

What I would like for this organisation is for it to be recognised internationally as well as set up a Calyx Clan HQ (buy a house for the players to all stay in and train together) as well as obtain sponsorships for this organisation so we don’t have to pay out of our pocket for all our gear, tickets and transport.

Which opposing clan do you most respect?

At this moment in time we haven’t played any teams with our new members.

In regards to professional – or competitive gaming (or even gaming in general) – what do you as a clan think needs to be done to raise the profile of South African gaming?

To make your name known you’ll firstly need to put in the long hours of practice, when everyone else is asleep you need to be up playing and practicing. We don’t look for talent here at Calyx Clan we look for people that are willing to put in the hours of hard work because talent can only take you so far, its hard work that will push you past your limits and here at Calyx Clan we have no limits.

And now for some fun stuff.

If you weren’t a gaming clan you’d be…

We would all become underwater welders.

War movie that best describes the clan?

The Avengers Infinity War.

If you guys had a music soundtrack for going to war, what would it be?

The Cranberries – Zombie. [Now there’s a song we can get behind… – Undead Ed]

Calyx Clan Contact Information:
Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Email: CalyxClanZA@gmail.com

If you are keen to feature in this column in the future (as a gamer, clan or industry person or company), please feel free to contact us at info@zombiegamer.co.za and we’ll think about – after you’ve sent us a sample of your braaaaaaiiiiinnnnsss.