Jens Koornstra

<div>Besides being a host and a caster, Paul "<a href="https://liquipedia.net/rocketleague/Paul_Shepherd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Paul Shepherd</a>" Beije is co-owner of Rocket Benelux, the organizer of tournaments and community events for Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The organization was founded in 2020, and has since put its mark on monthly tournaments for the Benelux with a steadily increasing prize pool. Rocket Benelux also hosts the <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/rocketbenelux" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">official Dutch RLCS broadcast</a>, which they did on location during the <a href="https://www.shiftrle.gg/events/467c-rlcs-2022-23-fall-major/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rotterdam Fall Major</a>. In between the Fall Major matches, Shift got hold of Paul Shepherd to ask him about Rocket Benelux and the Dutch Rocket League scene.</div><div><br></div><div>Paul Shepherd: “I’m a co-owner, together with PetitiePietie and Juicy. Juicy now lives in America for a year, so I’m managing everything together with Pietie. I’m also the broadcast manager, so I’m responsible for all the production and streams from Rocket Benelux.”</div><div><br></div><div>Shift: <strong>The Rotterdam Fall Major: a LAN in your home country. Were you at the RLCS Season 2 finals in Amsterdam?</strong></div><div><br></div><div>“I wasn’t there in person, but I watched it on Twitch. I think the finals in Amsterdam, and ViolentPanda [when he played] at his best ever, made me fall in love with Rocket League. I fell in love back in the day when Gale Force and ViolentPanda were at their peak.”</div><div><br></div><div><strong>You’ve got Dutch players like Remkoe and ViolentPanda, and now Joreuz, Oaly… How have they shaped the Dutch Rocket League scene?</strong></div><div><br></div><div>“I think the Dutch Rocket League scene has always been there, but it’s always been pretty small. With us entering the scene about two and a half years ago, we set ground for the smaller players to explore the pro scene of Rocket League. A lot more players who are maybe grand champ and just starting to get more serious about the game can now say: ‘Maybe I can make it, maybe I can do this.’ Players like Remkoe and ViolentPanda and other Dutch players — even Oaly and Joreuz right now are starting to show [those players] that you can really make it.”</div><div><br></div><div><strong>You’ve been not just a broadcaster, but also a manager and coach for Dutch teams before. How has the Dutch scene evolved over the years?</strong></div><div><br></div><div>“Of course, starting off, it was just for fun. People just wanted to play and have a team. Now, you see that orgs are stepping in, and coaches are getting more serious and better at their job. We have a lot of good Dutch coaches: we have Spooks operating in APAC, we have Kuxxeon in the Netherlands as well. There are a lot of people who started off just for fun, and are now really taking it to the next level.”</div><div><br></div><div><img src="https://octane-content.s3.amazonaws.com/Paul_Shepherd2_2022_23_Fall_Major_Shift_f87f6a94fa.jpg"></div><div>Paul Shepherd as broadcaster at the Rotterdam Fall Major</div><div><br></div><div><strong>And now, you have taken it to the next level too, being here in the arena to broadcast the Dutch stream. What has the response been from the Dutch fans?</strong></div><div><br></div><div>“It’s been great. Section 103 is the Karmine Corp section, but it’s also a Benelux section, so you see a lot of Rocket Benelux jerseys and flags. People were able to buy them a couple of weeks ago and it’s been great. Psyonix love to see it too, they came by to watch the setup and said ‘Yeah man, it is great that you guys are here’. So, I think everybody is enjoying this.”</div><div><br></div><div><strong>How do you see the role of Rocket Benelux in European Rocket League?</strong></div><div><br></div><div>“For me, it’s hard to imagine our place in the world of Rocket League, because it started off as a hobby. During COVID lockdowns, we just started it because we were bored, basically. And then, it grew. Now, we’re a whole company. We have people working for us, and this is my job full-time now — not only Rocket Benelux, but also freelance stuff. It’s really hard for me to imagine that we’re part of the professional Rocket League scene, because it still feels like a hobby.</div><div><br></div><div>But, now that we’re here at the Fall Major in Rotterdam, it’s starting to get more real — but also surreal, if you know what I mean. It’s really great, I love what I do and I love everybody who works with us and for us at Rocket Benelux, and also all the viewers and players. All the fans who are chilling in Discord or participating in the tournaments. Of course, we want to grow more, we want to be there. The French region is really big with Rocket Baguette and the whole community. If we look at them, that’s something we want to reach as well.”</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Do you think we’ll see any more upcoming Dutch talent?</strong></div><div><br></div><div>“Yes, of course. The <a href="https://www.shiftrle.gg/articles/rocket-benelux-announces-plans-for-2023" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2023 Benelux circuit</a> is going to be huge. I think it’s one of the best circuits we’ve ever done, with multiple tournaments, and a place for everybody to play and participate.”</div>

An interview with Paul Shepherd, one of the driving forces behind Rocket Benelux.

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