Martin “Ewok” van der Walt has officially replaced Adam “kaplan” Kaplan as the new head coach of Sentinels VALORANT, effective immediately.
CEO Rob Moore has publicly outlined why the organization felt it needed a change in direction, as the move comes after months of internal disagreement over roles, leadership, and the long-term identity of the prominent North American VALORANT roster.
Rob Moore described the decision as a tough call in tarik’s Q&A video, while also mentioning it was necessary to get the team back on what he considers the right trajectory.
According to the CEO, the 2026 roster that played under kaplan was essentially the coach’s project, built around his vision for roles and leadership. That included pushing Mohamed “johnqt” Amine Ouarid out of the IGL role and moving Zachary “zekken” Patrone away from his primary duelist position.
Moore said the org did not agree with those changes and made it clear this was not the direction Sentinels wanted to pursue long-term. With Ewok’s arrival, one of the first confirmed reversals is that Johnqt will reclaim his IGL duties on the team.
“Kaplan had a successful tenure over the last two years, including bringing home a Masters trophy from Madrid in 2024. Our performance at Champs 2025 was disappointing, and the roster decisions Kaplan has made to address these issues have sent us in the wrong direction,” Moore said.
The CEO also acknowledged community frustration around “blaming” kaplan, but insisted that if a roster is built primarily around a coach’s vision, the org has to own the decision to move on when it no longer believes in that direction. He added that while the split is public and messy, he still respects kaplan’s work, including the efforts that went behind Sentinels lifting a major trophy in 2024.
Ewok’s coaching background in the Pacific
Ewok arrives with a track record built almost entirely in the VCT Pacific ecosystem. The South African coach first made his name with ONIC Esports in early 2022 before taking over as head coach of Rex Regum Qeon later that year. Under his guidance, RRQ developed a reputation as one of the better-prepared teams in the region.
“Ewok has shown the ability to develop a winning VCT roster as he led RRQ to an APAC Stage 1 Championship in 2025, as well as qualifying to Champions Paris. He impressed us with his ability to develop a structure to build long-term improvement in a team,” Rob Moore said in the official tweet.
That experience appears to be one of the main reasons Sentinels targeted him. Moore said he reached out to “smart people in the space” he respected, and Ewok’s name repeatedly came up as someone who could bring structure and preparation to a talented but inconsistent roster.
With the new hire, assistant coach Gunter remains on staff, providing Ewok with an existing support system as he settles into his role in an American franchise.
Beyond the coaching change, Moore hinted that more roster moves are likely as Ewok evaluates the lineup, also leaving the door open to fan favorites, saying he would take TenZ back if he just said so, though there is no indication that move is imminent.
If TenZ wants to play, he can show up anytime, knock on my door, and I will figure out a spot in the roster for him. It’s in his hands. He just needs to walk in and say, “Rob, I’m ready to go.”
For now, the focus is on stabilizing around johnqt as IGL, giving Ewok control over the competitive direction, and using upcoming trials to lock in a roster that actually shares the belief that Sentinels can contend for trophies again.
