Sentinels Kaplan roster change explained: why Ewok is the new VALORANT coach

Sentinels have parted ways with VALORANT head coach Adam “kaplan” Kaplan after a rough start to the 2026 VCT season and a disappointing finish at Champions 2025, moving him to inactive status. In his place, the organization has hired former RRQ coach Marthinus “Ewok” van der Walt to lead the roster heading into VCT Americas Stage 1 and the race for Champions 2026.

According to CEO Rob Moore, the decision comes down to two things: an underwhelming performance at VALORANT Champions 2025 and early 2026 results that convinced management the team was “on the wrong path,” both in terms of results and team chemistry. He also made it clear that Kaplan’s roster decisions following Champions 2025 did not deliver the progress the org expected.​

Here’s a quick overview of the change and what it means for Sentinels going forward.

What changed and why it matters

• Kaplan is out as Sentinels’ VALORANT head coach and moved to an inactive role.

• Ewok, best known for his work with RRQ in the Pacific region, is in as the new head coach.

• The move follows a last‑place finish at Champions 2025 and a 1‑win exit from VCT 2026 Americas Kickoff with a rebuilt roster.​

• CEO Rob Moore publicly criticized both the 2026 roster construction and the lack of developing chemistry under Kaplan.​

If you just want the headline implication: Sentinels are effectively calling time on the Kaplan era and betting that Ewok’s structure‑first approach can salvage their 2026 season before Stage 1 and the road to Masters London and Champions 2026 really begin.

What exactly did Sentinels say about Kaplan’s exit?

Sentinels confirmed that Adam “kaplan” Kaplan is no longer head coach of the VALORANT roster, with multiple reports describing him as transferred to inactive status. The org also posted a short public farewell thanking him for his work with the team.

In a longer statement, CEO Rob Moore pointed directly at Champions 2025 and the 2026 Kickoff as the breaking point. Sentinels finished dead last in their group at Champions 2025 after losses to Xi Lai Gaming and GIANTX, a result Moore called “disappointing” and below expectations for the organization.​

Moore then criticized the follow‑up roster decisions made under Kaplan, saying those changes “sent us in the wrong direction” and that the team at Kickoff 2026 showed both poor results and a lack of developing chemistry. His conclusion was blunt: the org doesn’t believe in waiting once it’s clear the project is off track, so they chose to act early in the season.​

Why now? The results that drove the decision

To understand the timing, you have to look at Kaplan’s full run with Sentinels.

• Kaplan joined Sentinels in 2023 as a strategic or assistant coach and later took over as head coach after Don “SykkoNT” Muir’s departure.

• Under his leadership, Sentinels climbed back from a rough 2023 to win VALORANT Masters Madrid 2024, their second international title in the game.

• They followed that with a 4th‑place finish at VALORANT Champions 2024 and top‑6 at Masters Toronto 2025, plus runner‑up finishes at multiple VCT Americas events.

So this isn’t a move coming off a long era of failure. Sentinels were competitive—and at times elite—under Kaplan. The problem is that 2025 ended badly and 2026 started worse.

Champions 2025 was the first big red flag. Sentinels’ worst placing of the Kaplan era came there, when they lost to Xi Lai Gaming and GIANTX and finished last in their group. Going into 2026, the org let go of bang, Zellsis, and zekken and brought in a younger core of Reduxx, Kyu, and cortezia. That roster showed some promise in the offseason, but crashed out of the 2026 VCT Americas Kickoff with just one win.​

Rob Moore later added more context on stream, saying Kaplan was “essentially the reason” behind zekken’s departure and johnqt’s role switch ahead of 2026. When you put that together with the results, it’s clear why management felt they had to reset the project before Stage 1.

Kaplan’s legacy with Sentinels

Even with this abrupt ending, Kaplan leaves behind a mixed but important legacy for Sentinels.

What he achieved

• Returned Sentinels to the top of international VALORANT with a Masters Madrid 2024 title.

• Stabilized the team after a chaotic 2023 coaching and roster situation.

• Guided them to consistent high finishes in VCT Americas and deep international runs in 2024–2025.

Where it went wrong

• Failed to turn regional strength into a long‑term international dominance; Champions 2025 was the breaking point.​

• Backed a 2026 roster direction and role changes that, at least in Moore’s view, made the team worse rather than better.

A fair way to frame it: Kaplan was the coach who helped Sentinels prove they could still win at the highest level, but he also oversaw the roster cycle that convinced the org it needed a different voice.

From a player perspective, you can still point to that Madrid run as one of the high points of the franchise era. The problem is that the gap between that peak and the current reality became too large for management to ignore.

Who is Ewok and what does he bring?

Marthinus “Ewok” van der Walt is a South African coach best known for his work in the Pacific region with ONIC Esports and Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ). He was previously signed as RRQ’s head coach for the VCT 2023 Pacific League and has built a reputation for structure and player development.

Rob Moore highlighted two specific points when explaining why Sentinels chose him:

• Ewok led RRQ to an APAC Stage 1 championship in 2025 and qualification for Champions Paris.​

• He impressed the org with his ability to create a framework for long‑term improvement in young rosters.​

That second point matters a lot with this current lineup. Sentinels’ 2026 roster leans younger and less proven at the very top level, and Moore explicitly framed the hire as a way to build a better long‑term structure around them.​

There is a real challenge here, though. The Americas region—now featuring teams like G2, MIBR, NRG/FURIA and others—is generally considered a deeper field than Pacific. Ewok has shown he can get a roster to Champions out of APAC; now he has to prove he can do it from a stacked Americas league.

An example scenario to watch: if Sentinels stabilize into a solid Stage 1 playoff team under Ewok, even without instantly winning titles, that will already feel like progress compared to the chaos of their Kickoff run.

What this means for Sentinels’ 2026 season

The first real test for Ewok’s Sentinels will be VCT 2026 Americas Stage 1 in Los Angeles, running from April 10 with three Masters London slots on the line. With only a limited number of international spots available, there is very little ramp‑up time: the new staff and roster have to click quickly or risk another year of watching the biggest events from home.​

Short term, you can expect:

• A stronger emphasis on structure and defined roles, especially around their younger firepower pieces.​

• Potential shifts in map pool priorities as Ewok implements his own system from Pacific into Americas play.

• A lot of scrutiny from fans and analysts, given how public and pointed Moore’s criticism of the previous direction has been.​

Long term, this move is clearly about keeping the Champions 2026 window open. Sentinels have already shown they’re willing to make big, early changes if they feel the project is misaligned with that goal. Ewok now has the job of proving that his approach can turn this roster from an early‑season disappointment into a credible contender again.​

If you’re following Sentinels, the key questions over the next few months are simple: does the team look more cohesive, are players clearly in roles that suit them, and can they turn that into Stage 1 results good enough to reach Masters London? The answers to those will define how this coaching gamble is judged.