The Piltover Post

With the North American Challenger League starting up, we have some new faces in tier two. Cole “JonnyRockets” Cwiklowski of Contingent Esports, the new kids on the block, swept through the NACL 2026 Summer Promotion Tournament against more experienced players in Nine Lives Esports and Apex Mission Impossible. In their last series of the tournament, CONT sent DeathMark E-Sports to the lower bracket. With the promotion into tier 2 comes new responsibilities. JonnyRockets reflects on what got him started in League of Legends, what keeps him here, and his plans for competing while studying for his PhD.

Q: What started your passion for League of Legends? Who was the first champion that you played?

A: My passion for League started around middle school when my brother introduced me to the game in the preseason of season 4, and I truly fell in love with the complexity and mechanics that the game had to offer. The very first champion I ever mained was actually Draven, in which I would go six bloodthirsters and max E first! (I was bronze :))

Q: With five different roles that have different strengths and weaknesses, what made you decide you wanted to play on the top side?

A: I actually started out as an ADC main for the first 4-5 years playing the game, and eventually my friends and some small leagues I played in needed a top laner. That was my introduction into the highly complex role. Specific matchups at the time, like Jax vs Camille and Camille vs Fiora, made me fall in love with the little intricacies in each lane and how unique and precise you can be with each character.

Q: Do you remember having a specific moment that you realized you wanted to play professionally?

A: I don’t think I have a specific moment that made me feel like I wanted to pursue League or any game professionally, but I have always been an extremely competitive person. League felt like a true entity that I could spend a load of time playing while never feeling tired of playing or wanting to get better.

Q: Everybody in esports, whether it’s casters, content creators, players, or coaching staff, has an ID that is unique to them. What made you choose JonnyRockets?

A: My name came from my first time buying Xbox Live and having to create an IGN when I was 10. We went to Six Flags the day before, and I was trying to figure out a name. All I could think about was being at the restaurant Johnny Rockets the day before at Six Flags. Of course, being 10, I spelled it wrong with no H, and it kinda just stuck forever!

Q: Tell us about your major. You’re looking to get your PhD in biomedical sciences. What made you decide on this extensive schooling? What kind of long-term career path does something like that offer for you?

A: My PhD is going to be in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an emphasis on Medicinal Chemistry. I got a bachelor’s in biomedical sciences and realized I was very fond of the lab life, so I gravitated towards drug discovery and development, which falls under medicinal chemistry. This led me towards a master’s in med chem, which allowed me to also play volleyball for another year, which inevitably led to me now starting my PhD this fall. The career path I’m looking for will fall under a big pharma company, hopefully working as a project manager on different potential drugs. I think my job and really my entire academic career falls under my initial idea to just help people in some way, and this allows me to do that while utilizing my strengths.

Q: With the NACL coming up, who are you looking forward to facing off against the most? Which team will give you the hardest time? Who do you feel is your weakest opponent?

A: I’m looking forward to playing against the best teams in NACL, as those players are the closest I’ll be able to get to playing against a tier 1 player in a competitive setting. I truly just wanna experience the levels of a tier 2 and tier 1 pro and just understand what levels I can reach. I think, of course, the past winners CNV will probably give us the hardest time, but only time will tell what games/opponents were considered “easy” or “hard,” as every game has challenges in itself.

Q: With this being your first split in the North American Challenger League, do you anticipate struggling to balance the intense schooling your PhD studies require and the needs of Contingent?

A: I don’t think this split necessarily will be affected by my PhD schedule, as we actually finish before I start any classes, but playoffs might potentially conflict. I am giving 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to this game and to Contingent, so hopefully I can feel satisfied when this split is all said and done.

Q: With your heavy course load and now the NACL demands, what are some words of wisdom/advice you have for people interested in pursuing the same path?

A: It is very difficult. There is no sugar coating it. At the end of the day, you will have to choose between a major social life, class, and League, as there are only so many hours in the day. The most important thing is that if you are stressing yourself out doing league and class and everything at the same time, you better enjoy it! There is honor in admitting when you are overwhelmed and finding your limit and the extent of your social meter.