How to DIY: Gaming Coach
To get better at their competitive game — climb ranked, win more, and stop making the same mistakes over and over
Tools used in this guide
3How to DIY: Gaming Coach
A step-by-step guide to doing this yourself — honestly.
What you're really trying to do
To get better at their competitive game — climb ranked, win more, and stop making the same mistakes over and over
DIY Cost
$0
ongoing to learn
Hire Cost
$10-$100/hr
Done for you
You could save $10-$100/hr by doing it yourself
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow along at your own pace. Most people finish in ongoing.
Record and review your own gameplay
~10 minThis is the #1 thing coaches do — watch your gameplay and identify patterns. Use OBS (free) to record ranked sessions. Watch your deaths and losses in slow motion. Ask yourself: 'What could I have done differently?' You'll spot your own mistakes faster than you think.
Use your game's analytics tools
~15 minEvery competitive game has stats: op.gg (League), tracker.gg (Valorant, Apex, Fortnite), dotabuff (Dota 2). Look at your win rates, KDA, and per-map/per-character performance. The numbers will tell you exactly where you're bleeding rank — your champion pool is too wide, your deaths are too high, etc.
Watch educational content, not streams
~15 minThere's a difference between entertainment streams and educational content. Search for your game's coaching subreddit or YouTube channels that break down gameplay. r/summonerschool (LoL), r/apexuniversity (Apex), r/VALORANT (Valorant) all have excellent free coaching content.
Focus on one skill at a time
~20 minDon't try to improve everything at once. Pick ONE thing — map awareness, aim, positioning, resource management — and focus on it for a week. Track whether it improves. Then move to the next thing. This is called deliberate practice and it's how every elite performer improves.
When to hire instead
You've plateaued despite active self-improvement, you're preparing for tournaments, or you want a personalized improvement plan from someone who's played at a high level in your specific game.
No time? Skip to hiringReal talk
Most players can climb 1-2 ranks just by recording their gameplay and watching their deaths back. It's boring but it works. A coach accelerates this by catching things you can't see yourself — but the free resources in most competitive games are genuinely excellent.
Tools You'll Need
Hand-picked for this project. We only recommend tools we'd actually use.
Essential Tools
You need these to get started.
OBS Studio
Free
Record your gameplay for self-review. Watching your deaths and mistakes back is the number one free coaching technique.
Why we recommend it
Recording and reviewing your own gameplay is literally what coaches do — OBS makes it free and high-quality.
Nice-to-Have Tools
Not required, but they make the job easier.
Notion
Free
Track your ranked progress, log mistakes, and build a personal improvement plan. Structure turns random playing into deliberate practice.
Why we recommend it
Write down the one thing you are working on each session — Notion makes this simple and trackable over time.
Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our Verdict
Difficulty
medium
Learning time
ongoing
DIY cost
$0
Hire cost
$10-$100/hr
Choose DIY if...
- You can spare ongoing
- 2 of 2 tools are free
- You want to learn a new skill
- Budget matters more than time
Choose Hire if...
- You need professional-quality results
- Your time is worth more than the cost
- You have a tight deadline
- Experience matters for this task
Learn from video tutorials
Sometimes watching is easier than reading. Search for tutorials:
Join the conversation
See what other people are saying about doing this yourself:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I really do gaming coach myself?▼
What tools do I need for DIY gaming coach?▼
How long does it take to learn gaming coach?▼
When should I hire a gaming coach instead of doing it myself?▼
Is it worth paying $10-$100/hr for a freelancer vs doing it myself for $0?▼
Find a Gaming Coach pro on Fiverr
Skip the learning curve. Top-rated Gaming Coach freelancers start at $10-$100/hr.