When St. Clair College Esports released a statement announcing that Rocket League player Ario “Arju” Berdin and head coach Luca “Shuffleverse” Paparatti would be leaving the program at the end of the fall 2025 semester to join another collegiate team, the post was intended to address confusion. Instead, it ignited a small debate about the ethics, expectations, and instability surrounding collegiate esports transfers.
The program expressed disappointment at losing student-athletes mid-degree, highlighted concerns about mid-cycle recruitment, and called for clearer standards around player mobility and outreach. But the community reaction and the player and coach’s responses revealed that there might be more to the eye and that the scene is divided about how departures should be handled.
A Player Perspective: “It wasn’t last minute”
Arju responded quickly on X (formerly Twitter), offering gratitude for his time at St. Clair and clarification about the timing:
“To clear up some confusion regarding us leaving, we made this decision way back in May, so it wasn’t something last minute. […] and leaving was a difficult decision, but it was the right call for my personal life🙏”
He added:
“I really appreciate the opportunity [St. Clair] gave me […] wishing the program and everyone involved the best”
Coach Shuffleverse echoed the same:
“Both staff and our team were aware that this fall would be our last semester together since May. We’re grateful for the experience and chose to move mainly to improve our academic paths, not to compete.”
From their perspective, the departure was long-planned, respectful, and rooted in academics – rather than poaching or competitive ambition.
Program Leaders Push Back: “This post shouldn’t have been made.”
Some administrators believed St. Clair’s public statement crossed a line.
DePaul Rocket League VP James “BigBanjoMain” Lundell was blunt:
“this post seems entirely unacceptable and shouldn’t even have been posted in the first place. […] things change and it’s how you adapt to those changes that makes you either a great program or a bad one.”
Augusta University’s Esports Coordinator Noah Bowers added:
“Not sure this is worded the best…”
Michigan Esports’ Kevin Palmer argued the statement misdirected frustration:
“Not sure the point of this post, other than to slander the people leaving. […] bring it to the meetings and conferences where policy and competitive decisions are made.”
St. Clair’s own Esports Director, Shaun Byrne, replied that the intent was not to blame players:
“No slander at all towards the players. […] It’s more so a call to action for us in collegiate esports to put some thought into stronger processes and policy around reaching out to players committed to other programs.”
The Transfer Problem No One Agrees On
While opinions differ sharply on St. Clair’s communication, nearly everyone agreed the broader system is flawed.
Some want structured transfer windows like the NCAA
Syracuse’s Director of Esports Competition, Travis Yang, shared:
“programs competing at a high level must be prepared to lose students. […] transfer windows like the NCAA does could help address some valid concerns about mid/post-season integrity and provide better student outcomes.
Ole Miss esports staffer Brandon Collamer expanded on institutional burden:
“[…] players can and should be allowed to move semester to semester but I do think the impact on programs when a player leaves so close to new semester for pro/other school/etc is understated and likely wont get talked about in response to this”
Mizzou Esports Coordinator Colin Graham also called for guardrails:
“Collegiate Esports needs a standardized transfer window and repercussions for transferring outside of that window. Otherwise, it is a revolving door of player[s]”
Others warn against locking students down
Ashley M., a longtime collegiate figure shared:
“The reality is there are no actualized safeguards against poaching, or to keep commitment. That said, this post feels strangely multiple years too late. I’m curious to see if anyone has any actual actionable solutions to this that aren’t ‘unreasonable transfer window controlled by leagues we pay to be in’”
Syracuse’s Yang agreed:
“imo students should never be tied down to a school (esports related or not), our job is to help develop young adults and as such they should be able to make the decisions that feel best for themselves”
The Poaching Debate: Ethics, Enforcement, and Ambiguity
NACE bylaws technically prohibit recruiting players under contract, but enforcement appears to be inconsistent.
Fisher College’s Assistant Esports Director, Aaron Colaiacomo, explains the complexity of NACE’s procedures:
- Violations require proof of communication, signed agreements, and need to be reviewed by the Eligible Enforcement Committee
- Penalties range from forfeits to institutional probation
- The rules lack detail, consistency, and clarity
His summary:
“the bylaws are a great launching point but lack a lot of meat – they are cheap buffet ribs with no sauce.”
Colorado State’s Dev noted that players breaking agreements is unfortunate, but inevitable:
“As long as scholarships will be offered (which they should be), other programs will always attempt to ‘steal’ players.
I think the comparison some people have made regarding other NCAA sports is unfair, since those seasons can span across semesters, whereas most esports are split up and operate once per semester.”
A System Under Strain:
What St. Clair’s post revealed, mostly unintentionally, is a collegiate environment where:
- Students can leave at any time
- Programs rely on scholarships to stay competitive
- Leagues lack unified rules
- Administrators feel unprotected
- Players feel scrutinized
Even the criticism reflects that tension: some view the statement as necessary honesty, others as tone-deaf and hypocritical, citing St. Clair’s own history of mid-cycle roster building.
UniRocketeers broadcaster, Adam Whitlan, captured that sentiment bluntly:
“For a programme that has been built on the back of poaching players mid-way through their studies, this statement is shocking. […] Tone deaf and hypocritical.”
What’s Next? A call for structure and compassion
The conversation shows a rare consensus on one point:
Collegiate esports desperately needs standardized mobility rules and empathy for students caught in the middle.
As Chase “Nuke” Neukam put it:
“Transfer portals and windows are a desperate need. These decisions are sensitive and typically have a domino effect. We have a responsibility to our students and more importantly their future.”
Mid-year transfers aren’t new, but their visibility is. And until colleges, leagues, and any other governing bodies align on expectations, transparency, and ethics, these controversies will continue.
