USA Esports Names Edward Cleland Performance Director

USA Esports has appointed Edward Cleland as director of performance and wellness, giving him responsibility for player health, competition readiness and long-term performance.

Cleland will lead the organisation’s Performance Team and co-chair its High Performance Committee. He will also co-chair the Player Health, Safety & Wellness Working Group, which focuses on players’ well-being and safety.

His approach is based on psychophysiology, a field that examines how stress, bodily functions and daily habits affect how people think, feel and perform. At USA Esports, he will apply this research to practical support for competitive players.

Cleland will coordinate specialists from several fields and develop an evidence-based framework for player well-being, competition readiness and long esports careers. His priorities include preparing athletes for international competitions, improving access to qualified support and creating a coordinated performance and wellness system based on principles used with Olympic athletes.

In a statement, Cleland described the role’s purpose: “It’s our duty to foster the next generation of gamers, advancing health, performance, inclusion, and longevity on and off the server.”

Cleland runs the health and performance company Mind Body Esports and has more than 15 years of experience working with people in competitive environments. He began his career in traditional athletics before moving into esports full time in 2017.

His LinkedIn profile lists work with Renegades, 100 Thieves, Complexity Gaming, Evil Geniuses, NRG Esports, Fnatic, G2 Esports, the Golden Guardians, M80, Team Liquid and Team Falcons. He has supported players in League of Legends, VALORANT and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Cleland led a project at IMG Academy in 2025 and has served as clinical director at Mind Body Esports since November 2013.

Reviewed and fact-checked by Alex Panasenko on November 9.