USA Esports has officially appointed Edward Cleland as its new Director of Performance and Wellness.
Cleland, who runs the health and performance company Mind Body Esports, has more than 15 years of experience supporting the health and performance of people in competitive environments. In his new role, Cleland will lead the organisation’s Performance Team. He will also co-chair the High Performance Committee and serve as co-chair of the Player Health, Safety & Wellness Working Group.
Cleland’s approach is based on psychophysiology. In practice, that means looking at how stress, bodily functions, and daily habits shape the way players feel, think, and perform in matches. At USA Esports, he will turn that research into practical support for players. He will also coordinate experts from several fields and develop a framework, based on evidence, covering player well-being, readiness to compete, and the ability to sustain a long career.
Cleland has named several priorities for the role. These include preparing athletes for international competition, improving access to qualified support and building a coordinated approach to performance and wellness based on principles used with Olympic athletes, which put the athlete at the centre.
Edward Cleland, USA Esports Director of Performance and Wellness, said, “It’s our duty to foster the next generation of gamers, advancing health, performance, inclusion, and longevity on and off the server.”
As per his LinkedIn profile, Cleland started his career in traditional athletics before moving into esports full-time in 2017. Since then, he has worked with a long list of well-known organisations, including Renegades, 100 Thieves, Complexity Gaming, Evil Geniuses, NRG Esports, Fnatic, G2 Esports, the Golden Guardians, M80, Team Liquid, and Team Falcons, supporting players across games such as League of Legends, VALORANT, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. He also led a project at IMG Academy in 2025 and has served as clinical director at Mind Body Esports since November 2013.
