S.E.A. Dragons are celebrating the most successful season in the club’s short history after being crowned Welsh Esports League Club Champions, finishing narrowly ahead of joint runners-up Pit Ponies (the partner team of Pontypridd United FC) and Swansea-based Wolfhounds Esports.

The title caps off a remarkable campaign that also saw the Dragons record an unbeaten Counter-Strike 2 season and secure several top-three finishes across major national divisions.

Founded last year by 20-year-old former Brecon High School student Patryk Białowąs, the Dragons have rapidly grown into one of Wales’ most consistent esports organisations. Built on what Patryk describes as an “esports Moneyball” philosophy, using analysis, structure and performance data rather than big budgets, the club now involves more than 50 players and staff across several titles.

A major highlight came from the CS2 roster, who dominated the Welsh Esports League Counter-Strike 2 season without losing a single match. The team entered the winter split with renewed momentum following high-profile signings, including multiple Welsh internationals and bringing former professional Euan “Tadpole” Ingram out of a 3-year retirement.

Patryk said the unbeaten season reflected the club’s work ethic and the level they had to compete against.

He told The Brecon & Radnor Express: “The fact is, the Welsh Esports League is very open and welcoming at the lower levels, but once you reach the top five or six clubs, it becomes a completely different standard,” he explained. “You’re playing against rosters filled with professional players from across Europe, and most teams even loan in talent from major organisations to gain experience in a shorter domestic league.

“It really is an elite level at the top,” he added. “And the fact is, the idea worked. We won.”

Another key moment in the Dragons’ year came from another Brecon local, Will ‘ynb’ Tayler, who themselves had previously competed at a high semi-professional level, winning the Welsh Esports League several times as a player. Tayler stepped back from competing during the summer to take on the head coach role at their hometown club, guiding the Dragons to a Welsh Esports League final in their first season behind the headset.

Tayler said joining the Dragons’ journey has been a special moment in their career. They said: “It feels absolutely incredible. Not many players can say they’ve competed in the WEL, and even fewer can say they’ve done it with their hometown. Being able to do both is fantastic.”

Tayler also believe clubs like S.E.A. Dragons can provide a major boost to the region’s esports scene. They said: “Powys and Brecon are still very small when it comes to esports.

“Having a flagship club like S.E.A. Dragons, with the support it has behind it, will make a huge difference. Growing up, if I’d seen that my hometown had its own esports organisation, I would have worked twice as hard. I really believe the Dragons can inspire the next generation.”

The club also secured strong finishes across other titles, including second place in Rocket League, Rainbow Six Siege and Chess, with EA FC placing third overall and Valorant finishing sixth. The depth of results across so many divisions ultimately secured the Dragons the overall club championship.

The triumph marks a dramatic rise for an organisation that began in late 2024 with only £250 of student grant funding and a single laptop. From those humble beginnings, the S.E.A. Dragons have become Wales’ leading data-driven esports club and the only active organisation of their kind based in Powys.

As the Dragons look ahead to Welsh Esports League #10, the club expects to announce further additions to its coaching and performance staff, with figures such as Connor ‘Faizye’ Chittock already playing a key role in preparing the teams for the next campaign.

Chittock said the momentum from this season has given everyone in the organisation a lift. “It’s been an incredible year to be part of,” he said. “The players set the standard on the server, but the work behind the scenes has been just as important. We’re already planning for the next season, and the goal is to push the levels even higher.”

Preparations for the upcoming campaign are already underway, as the Dragons aim to build on their first national championship and continue establishing themselves among Wales’ elite esports organisations.