Sunday 30 September 2018

Clubs respond to the call.

Robert Maduba (left) and Cornelius Hlela (right) - previous recipients of MSSA's Eastern Cape Meritorious Service Awards.
With the closing date for the nominations for Meritorious Service Awards closing on 28 September 2018, Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) was pleased to see a number of nominations being submitted.

The nominations were submitted for Registered Players resident in Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, and Western Cape.

Every one of the Registered Players nominated is outstanding in his/her own right and MSSA's Executive Committee will thus make the necessary decisions to recommend to the Annual General Meeting,

All past recipients of such awards are:



NATIONAL MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS
NAMECLUB
Prof. David DavidsonPeninsula Wargames Group
Prof. Peter BournePeninsula Wargames Group
Rodney WellsEastern Province Wargames Group
EASTERN CAPE MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS
NAMECLUB
Claude le RouxAlgoa Wargames Club
Robert MadubaEastern Province Draughts Association
Cornelius HlelaEastern Province Draughts Association
FREE STATE MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS
NAMECLUB
Frans BrewisESWAT
GAUTENG MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS
NAMECLUB
Ryan NikschMayhem
Carl HollidayPretoria Boys High School
Dorian LoveSt. Enda’s High School Wargames Club
Donald MullanyOld Edwardian Wargames Club
Robert EnglandOld Edwardian Wargames Club
Joe MalekaneGauteng Draughts Association
Colin WebsterOld Edwardian Wargames Club
KWAZULU NATAL MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS
NAMECLUB
Jonathan NewmanBarbarian Wargames Club
Mervin MattheeWestville Historical and Military Modelling Society
Richard GordonWestville Historical and Military Modelling Society
Shawn ComrieWestville Historical and Military Modelling Society
NORTH WEST MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS
NAMECLUB
Marius BesterPotchefstroom Krygspele Vereniging
WESTERN CAPE MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS
NAMECLUB
Johan SchoemanPeninsula Wargames Group
Michael KarstensPeninsula Wargames Group

Friday 28 September 2018

Meritorious Service Awards.


Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) Meritorious Service Awards may be awarded to any individual who may have rendered TEN years outstanding service to any of  the disciplines of which MSSA is custodian, or in any other special circumstances, on the recommendation of the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee consists of all members of the Management Board, a delegate representing such Student Association as recognised by Council, a delegate representing such Scholar's Association as recognised by Council and one nominated member from each affiliated member. 
 that is in good-standing.

Thus member clubs that feel that they have derving members are entitled to nominate such individuals to MSSA so that the Executive Committee may recommend such nominees to the Annual General Meeting.

This award may only be made by the Council on the recommendation of the Executive.

Such awards are made to deserving individuals on National and Provincial basis. 


Please contact the General Secretary on mindsportssa@gmail.com should you have any queries.

IESF to elect a new president.

Colin Webster (Mind Sports South Africa) giving the opening address at IESF's 9th World Championships - Busan
International Esports Federation (IESF) shall be electing a new President at its Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) to be held on 9 November 2018 in Koahsuing City, Chinese Taipei.

IESF's Ordinary General Meeting coincides with its 10th World Championships and will no doubt be attended by the Presidents of all its member National Federations.

There are only three individuals that currently qualify for election. The three are Silviu Stroei (Romania), Constantine Surkot (Russia), and Colin Webster (South Africa).

All three individuals have had an immeasurable impact on esports in their own nations as well as within IESF, and it will indeed be interesting to see who the membership chooses to chair the organisation that is leading esports forward as a fully accredited sport.

The missive sent out by IESF, reads as follows:


"Referring with the upcoming Ordinary General Meeting to be held on November 9th, Kaohsiung

Members are reminded that at such Ordinary General Meeting, IESF shall elect a new President to serve out the remaining term.


 Members are Notified of Article 31 of International Esports Federation's Statutes, which provides that:
  •  Any nomination of a candidate for election as President of International Esports Federation shall be nominated by the Full Member to which he/she is affiliated and in good-standing, and 
  • has already completed a full term of office in IESF for which they were elected, and 
  • has been recommended by at least one-third of Members, and/or 
  • ecommended by a majority of the Board members, and 
  • shall be delivered to the Secretary General (chung@ie-sf.org ) not later than 5 October 2018."

Reminder: Last call...

Robert Maduba - proudly wearing his Springbok Colours that were awarded to him by SA Rugby for achievements during Apartheid.
Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is calling on all clubs to submit nominations, proposals to amend the Regulations, Byelaws, et cetera, for the Executive Committee Meeting that shall be held in October 2018. 

The Executive Committee consists of all members of the Management Board, a delegate representing such Student Association as recognised by Council, a delegate representing such Scholar's Association as recognised by Council and one nominated member from each affiliated member. 
 that is in good-standing.

Only clubs in good-standing may submit 
nominations, proposals to amend the Regulations, Byelaws, et cetera, to be considered at such meeting.

Nomi
nations may include:

  • For the position of Honorary Life Member
  • For the position of Honorary Vice-President
  • National Meritorious Service Award
  • Provincial Meritorious Service Award

All members are thus encouraged to nominate deserving candidates.
Please contact the General Secretary on mindsportssa@gmail.com should you have any queries.

Thursday 27 September 2018

World Draughts Federation gets new corporate identity

FMJD's new corporate identity.
On October 1st the World Draughts Federation (FMJD) starts using its new corporate and visual identity created by Estonian designer Tiit Jürna.

FMJD opened its headquarters in Tallinn in 2017 when Janek Mäggi was elected president of the organization. “The World Draughts Federation that was created in 1947 recently chose and confirmed its new corporate identity,” said Janek Mäggi, president of FMJD.

“The new identity reflects the vision of the future for FMJD.

In addition to organizing tournaments, we promote draughts in all countries of the world and want to increase the number of FMJD Member States from 84 to over one hundred in the coming year.

After a long debate and going over many designs, the board of World Draughts Federation (FMJD) approved our new corporate identity. Tiit Jürna created a lasting design that is both clear and stimulating.”

"I believe that the new identity is a breath of fresh air for FMJD," said Harry Otten, Director of International Relations of FMJD. "It was quite difficult to find common ground in a federation of countries with different cultures, but I am glad that with the help of involved experts we have found this new identity. We prove again that we are among the worlds leading sports organization encompassing so many countries.

Tiit Jürna (DB Reactor, http://www.reactor.ee/) is an Estonian artist and designer who specializes in both 2D and 3D design solutions. He is a member of The Estonian Artists' Association (EAA) since 1983 and Estonian Association of Designers (EAD) since 1989.

The Fédération Mondiale du Jeu de Dames (www.fmjd.org), of which Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is a member, was founded by the draughts federations of France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland in 1947. Its main goal was to regulate competition in world championships. Since 1897 the title of world champion had only been awarded to players from France and the Netherlands. FMJD enabled championship where all countries in the world could participate. Since then world champions came from Europe, Africa and America. With strong presence in Asia we can expect future champions from that continent as well. Today FMJD has 84 member federations and is itself a member of GAISF, which unites all internationally recognised fields of sport. FMJD is also a founding member of IMSA, the International Mind Sports Associating where, for instance, FIDE (chess) , IGF (the international Go Federation) and WBF (the world bridge federation) are members. In IMSA the goal is to bring Mind Sports to an increasing number of people especially youth. FMJD’s board consist of Janek Mäggi (President, Estonia), Chen Zelan (Vicepresident, China), Harry Otten (Director of International Relations, the Netherlands), Jacek Pawlicki (Director of Tournaments, Poland), Aare Harak (Treasurer, Estonia), Juri Chertok (General Secretary, Russia) and Daniele Macali (Director of Youth Tournaments, Italy).

For further information please contact: Janek Mäggi | President, FMJD E-mail: janek.maggi@powerhouse.ee | Mobile: +372 50 72 989

Monday 24 September 2018

In diversity there is strength.


The South African coat of arms bears the motto "ǃke e: ǀxarra ǁke" which is written in the Khoisan language of the ǀXam people and translates literally to "diverse people unite".

So it is with Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA). By being the custodian of a number of disciplines (Board Gaming, Card Gaming, Esports, and Wargames), MSSA is able to lend resources and admini
strative ability to all the disciplines.

Many sports federations work this way, such as Athletics South Africa and Swimming South Africa.

According to MSSA, maintaining the strength and uniqueness of each discipline is vital to the long term growth and sustainability of each discipline.

Thus, under the astute leadership of current MSSA President, Amanda Pakade, MSSA will revert to awarding Protea Colours per discipline.

In other words, when a Reg
istered Player is awarded Protea Colour for an esports title, the wording undereath the Protea badge shall read, "Esports". For a board gaming discipline, the wording undereath the Protea badge shall read, "Board Games", and so forth.

Amanda is of the opinion that this move shall further encourage and enthuse Registered Players to take greater pride in the disciplines in which they participate.

Saturday 22 September 2018

Bidding closes on 30 September 2018 for IESF's 11th World Championships.


On Tuesday, 24April 2018 MSSA, South Africa's largest membership based organisation for gaming, was informed, along with all other national esports federations, that IESF has issued all its member federations with the “Official Host Bidding Announcement  for the 11th Esports World Championships 2019.
 
MSSA received all the following documents:
-  Official Announcement of Host Bidding
-  Host City Bidding Application Form
-  Event Organization Agreement Formd
-  IESF Event Manual
-  IESF Doping Control Guidebook
-  IESF Introduction
-  Esports World Championship Introduction
 
The International Esports Federation (IESF) is the only non-profit esports organisation that runs esports competitions based on nationality.

As much as MSSA would love to host IESF's World Championships, and MSSA's committee agonised over the decision, it would be a monumental decision to host such prestigious championship in South Africa.

The main issue for MSSA to decide not to bid is the latency issue.

With League of Legends® not having servers in South Africa, it is impossible for MSSA to host a high level world championships in South Africa as all the foreign players would then experience the latency that South Africans have come to know on a daily basis.

If the latency issue could be overcome, MSSA would gladly put a bid together.

Previous World Championships were held in the following cities:
YearLocation
2018Kaohsuing City – Chinese Taipei
2017Busan, South Korea
2016JakartaIndonesia
2015SeoulSouth Korea
2014BakuAzerbaijan
2013BucharestRomania
2012Cheonan, South Korea
2011Andong, South Korea
2010Daegu, South Korea
2009TaebaekSouth Korea

Thus, the host city bidding process is currently up on running for the 11th IESF Esports World Championship, which will be held in 2019. 

All bids have to be submitted on or before 30th September 2018.

How to affiliate a club to Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA).


MSSA has had number of schools and other interested people enquiring about the process and benefits associated with registering with Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA).

Mind Sports South Africa is the largest membership based gaming organisation in South Africa, and is also the official controlling body for Board games, Card games, Esports, Robotics, and historical figure games (or Wargames).  
There are many advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club, such as:
  1. Being part of a community where your club has a real say in how things are done
  2. Being able to apply for National Lottery Funding – MSSA member clubs can apply for up to R500,000.00 in funding, 
  3. Being able to get assistance from your local government,
  4. Experience increased media exposure of your events and your gamers,
  5. Become part of the international community through the MSSA Registered players are able to become internationally recognised umpires, etc.,
  6. Being able to put your club's news up on MSSA's blog,
  7. Enable your gamers to take part in MSSA events, which may qualify them for colours, overseas trips, and even sports bursaries at university.
How to affiliate a club
To affiliate a club is quite an easy affair, all you have to do is follow these easy steps:
  1. Gather the people together that want to form the club. Please note that there needs to be at least three members, and
  2. Hold a meeting at which you agree to start a club, and at which meeting you agree to the Constitution as well as who are the elected office-bearers of the club (all such decisions must be by consensus), and
  3. Write up the minutes of your inaugural meeting, and
  4. Send in the club’s Constitution and Application Form for Affiliation to the MSSA.
However, it should be noted that school clubs do not need their own constitution and only require the permission of the school's  principal.
Once the MSSA is in receipt of the Constitution and Application Form for Affiliation, the MSSA will go through the Constitution and (if acceptable) approve it at the next Management Board Meeting. Only once membership is approved, are fees due.

MSSA’s Constitution  
The Constitution forms the foundation of the MSSA. It guarantees members rights and governs the way that the MSSA operates. It can only be amended by a two-thirds majority at a Council Meeting. Please remember that Associations only have two (2) votes each, whereas member clubs have a representational vote, being: normal clubs: one vote per every five registered players, and school clubs: one vote per every ten registered players.

MSSA’s General Regulations  
The General Regulations comprises of decisions made by both Council and Executive Committee Meetings. The General Regulations deals with how sub-committees operate as well as to how teams are selected and development funding is distributed. Please refer to Schedule 10.12 in regard to the rights of clubs in hosting events.

MSSA’s Discipline Specific Regulations  
The Discipline Specific Regulations deal with rules concerning the different disciplines. The Disciplines that the MSSA caters for are; Board games, Card games, Esports, Robotics, and historical figure games.  
Application for Affiliation form  
When a club applies for membership, the applicant club must complete such form and return the same to the MSSA.
Fee note for the 2017/2018 year 
The fee note details the Affiliation Fees and Registration fees that are payable.
The fees for the 2018/2019 gaming year (1 November 2018 to 31 October 2019) are:
Affiliation fees per clubR100.00 per annum
Registration fees:Registered with MSSA
Players who are members of school clubs
R107.00 per player
R  6.00 per player

Player Registration Form   
The Player Registration Form needs to be completed by every player that is a member of a club and intends to participate in MSSA affairs.
Proforma Constitution  
In order for a club to be a legal entity, a club must have a Constitution and must have multiplicity of members (3 or more members). The Constitution tells how the club operates and must, to a certain extent mirror MSSA’s Constitution. The Constitution  of a club must have certain clauses in order to ensure that there are the necessary bonds between the MSSA and the club. Therefore, MSSA insists that the clauses, “Objectives”, “Title and Legal Personality”, “Dispute Resolution”, and “Dissolution” remain unchanged. However, the club may amend the other clauses. Once the applicant club is satisfied with their Constitution, the elected Chairperson must initial each page, and sign and date the last page and submit a copy to the MSSA.
MSSA’s Letter of Undertaking  
The Letter of Undertaking is for all registered players who sit on any MSSA committee.
Facebook Page | Twitter | e-mail: mindsportssa@iafrica.com 
Anyone who would like to obtain more documentation, as well as the necessary application forms to register or affiliate with the MSSA please contact MSSA directly.

Thursday 20 September 2018

Road to Kaohsuing: MSSA announces the Protea Esports Team.

Road to Kaohsuing - 49 days to go...
Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is proud to announce South Africa's official Protea Esports team which shall participate in IESF's 10th World Championships - Kaohsuing to be held from 6 to 13 November 2018.

Mind Sports South Africa has earned a reputation of being a federation totally committed to its members and athletes alike.
Through MSSA's efforts esports in South Africa has grown from being a mere activity to being a fully-fledged-accredited-sport for which players may earn Regional, Provincial, National Federation, and/or Protea Colours.

Thus, MSSA has gone through the process of selecting a national team for the 9th World Championships.

The process includes holding Regional, Provincial, and National Championships which feed  into the annual National Team Trials. It is from those that participate at the National Team Trials that the National Squad is selected, and then from those in the National Squad, various Protea Teams are selected to play in various events.

IESF's 2018 World Championships is being hosted in Chinese Taipei, and it is off to Kaohhsuing City that our brave and merry band will journey to once again do battle against the rest of the world.

The game titles in which South Africa's Protea Esports Team will compete are League of Legends®, CounterStrike: GO®, and Tekken 7®.

Alasdair Donaldson
MSSA is proud to have Alasdair Donaldson represent South Africa for Tekken 7®. Alasdair has showed his loyalty, dedication, and skill over many years having won many of the official provincial championships around the country. Alasdair too, has proven himself to be a very tough competitor and distiguished himself in IESF's 9th World Championships held in Busan. MSSA is quite confident that Alasdair will deliver solid results in Kaohsuing.

MSSA is particularly proud of its League of Legends® (LoL) Team. Without doubt, the League of Legends®  being fielded this year by South Africa combines the best of South Africa's two finest teams. The members of the team are all well known in South African competitive circles, and the members of the team have all dominated most of the events in which they have participated. 
Donovan de Klerk

With many of the members having obtained experience in online test matches as well as at IESF's 9th World Championships, there is great confidence in the team selected.  However, it is the team captain that often seals the fate of the team. MSSA believes that it has found the best possible team captain for the Protea Esports 
League of Legends® Team in the person of Donovan de Klerk. Donovan has proved himself to be a strong team captain being able to marshal, inspire, lead and  maintain the integrity of his teams, and it is hoped that such skills shall be used with equal effect in South Africa's Protea Esports League of Legends® Team.

MSSA is thus extremely confident in the abilities of the team to not only play well, but to also win the hearts, minds and souls of all those present at IESF's 2018 World championships.
Marisa van der Westhuizen

Although the esports title of CounterStrike: GO® was only introduced by IESF to into World Championships in 2016, Mind Sports South Africa has promoted such esports title in all Provincial and National championships since the game was published. 

Thus, MSSA jumped at the opportunity to enter its national team in 2016, and on the back of the experience learned at IeSF's 2016 World Championships - Jakarta, and IESF's 2017 World Championships - Busan, MSSA has again entered a team to contest the CounterStrike: GO® title.
The team is indeed 'battle-hardened' and will have to do battle against very tough competition. Nevertheless, MSSA is convinced that the team will do its best under the astute leadership of Marisa van der Westhuizen who is captaining South Africa's Protea Counter-Strike: GO® Esports Team.

It should be noted that Marisa will make history at such IESF's 10th World Championships - Kaohsuing as she will be the first ever female team captain of a CounterStrike:GO team at World Championship level. Marisa follows in the footsteps of Maryke Kennard who blazed the way in 2015. Marisa is consolidating on, and is building on, such gains to create greater equality for females in esports. 

The full team is as follows:
Title Name Club
CounterStrike: GO Marisa "Faith" van der Westhuizen (Captain) ZAG Academy
Nicole "Nexxy" Rootman  ZAG Academy
Alora Ann "Saphira" Liebenberg  ZAG Academy
Lelane "Lilly" Soldin  ZAG Academy
Leander "Chappy" van Schalkwyk Taccor Gaming
League of Legends Donovan "MoreGank Freeman" De Klerk (Captain) Good Gaming
Stephen "MrKnott" Pretorius  Good Gaming
Brett "Clax" Whitehead  VexxedPhoenix
Kyle "youNique" Taylor  VexxedPhoenix
Maalik "YoloPete" Rawoot VexxedPhoenix
Tekken 7 Alasdair Donaldson VexxedPhoenix
Manager Johan van Breda ZAG Academy


Johan van Breda
The Team Manager, Johan van Breda, first served South Africa as a player in IESF's 2016 World Championships - Jakarta, been elected to the lofty position of Vice-President in 2017, and was selected to be Team Manager by MSSA's Management Committee in 2018. 

The Protea Esports Team has always finished in the top half at every IESF World Championships in which it has competed. 
Johan is determined to lead the Protea Esports Team into the top ten - a position to which South Africa has not risen since 2013.

It is MSSA's opinion that South Africa's 
Protea Esports Team finds itself in no better hands, and MSSA's President, Amanda Pakade, is confident that Johan shall deliver.


The Protea eSports Team shall officially be awarded their colours at the official award ceremony that shall be done just pri or to departure.

South Africa's past results are as follows:
YearVenuePosition
2017Busan –  South Korea12th
2016Jakarta –  Indonesia14th
2015Seoul –  South Korea12th
2014Baku –  Azerbaijan13th
2013Bucharest –  Romania10th
2012Cheonan –  South Korea18th
2011Andong –  South Korea13th