Esports, and other games

Friday, 17 September 2021

Limpopo Online Provincial Championships - 25 September 2021

Athletes competing at HTS Tom Naude in pre COVID-19 days.

With Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) already having held its 2021 National Team Trials (NTT) on 21 August 2021, MSSA's Limpopo OnlineOnline Provincial Championships affords all Registered Players the opportunity to prepare for MSSA's 2022 National Team Trials.

Early qualification for Trials allows the athlete to concentrate on training and perfecting new tactics and strategies.

Thus Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is continuing to run its online Provincial Championships in order to cater for its community of member clubs and Registered Players.

MSSA's Limpopo OnlineOnline Provincial Championships shall be held on 25 September 2021.

MSSA's Limpopo OnlineOnline Provincial Championships offers all Registered Players the opportunity to qualify for selection to the 2022 national squad and for the 2022 Protea Team.

In order to participate, Registered Players must be fully-paid-up.

It should be noted that any Registered Player from anywhere in South Africa may compete in this championship.

Obviously Registered Players may participate from the comfort of their own home while being safe from the ravages of COVID-19.

Game titles to be played are:

Period/genre	Title	Platform	Age restriction	Players
Shooter	Call of Duty: Black Ops (Online only)	PC/PS 4/5	18	4 v 4
	CS GO	PC	16	5 v 5
	Paladins	PC/PS 4/5	12	5 v 5
Sport	FIFA '21	PS 4/5	3	1 v 1
Sport	PES 2021	PS 4/5	3	1 v 1
MOBA	DotA 2	PC	12	5 v 5
MOBA	Clash Royale	Mobile	12	1 v 1
Fighting	Tekken 7	PS 4/5	16	1 v 1
Fighting	Street Fighter V	PS 4/5	12	1 v 1
Card	HearthStone	Various	7	1 v 1

Tournament Structure:

As per the MSSA's rules, being:

If less than six teams, the championship shall be a Round Robin Championship
If 6 to 10 teams enter the championship there shall be four rounds as played to the Swiss System
If 11 or more teams enter the championship there shall be five rounds as played to the Swiss System

Eligibility:

In order to participate, Registered Players must be fully-paid-up.

Entries:

Entry is R100.00 per Registered Player.
Only fully-paid-up Registered Players may participate in this event.
Entries must be submitted by 24 September 2021.
To enter, the club must complete the Google Drive document.
The entry form may be found on Google Drive. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_ERR6815uVjSMu4t5KkRxYqGJ_AA88kkz31qRgksASc/edit#gid=287696184
Clubs are to download the entry form, completed the downloaded form, and e-mail it to Mind Sports South Africa.

Medals:

Medals shall be handed over to winners at the next MSSA LAN that they attend.

MALE:

astern Cape OPREMIER: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams.
UNDER 24: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams that have not won a Premier medal and which are comprised entirely of students currently registered at any officially recognised University.
SCHOLARS: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams of learners currently registered at any officially recognised school, provided they have not received any Premier medals.

FEMALE:

PREMIER: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams.
UNDER 24: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams that have not won a Premier medal and which are comprised entirely of students currently registered at any officially recognised University.
SCHOLARS: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams of learners currently registered at any officially recognised school, provided they have not received any Premier medals.

Colours:

Protea Colours: Only Players that are selected to represent South Africa in International Championships may earn National Colours if the Protea Colours Board's criteria are met.
National Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a National Championship will earn National Colours.
Provincial Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a Provincial Championship will earn Provincial Colours. All Players who score within the top 50% in a specific Period at a Provincial Championship, and who also score within the top 50% at a National Championship in the same period and in the same year, will earn Provincial Colours.

General:

The championship shall be played on: 25 September 2021.
The first round will start at 10H00. Players shall be given 60 minutes to complete each round.
The championship is accredited as being of the same status as a provincial championship.
The championship shall be used for the awarding of provincial colours;
The championship shall be used for the awarding of medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in Premier, Under 24, and School categories;
The championship shall be used for the ability to qualify for National Team Squad.
All medals shall be awarded to the recipients at a MSSA LAN championships.

Umpires:

Umpires may only be contacted over Skype on the day of competition. Any communication not on the Skype channel shall not be entered into.

Ladder:

All games shall count for the National Ladder.

Shout casting:

MSSA shall decide who may shout-cast the games.
Anybody wishing to be appointed as a Shout-Caster must apply in writing to mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com

Wednesday, 15 September 2021

2021 Sportsmanship awards to date

Liam Moodley (Northcliff High School) has already earned the Sportsmanship Award in three of MSSA's 2021 championships.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) takes sportsmanship very seriously.

Most reasonable athletes and parents would agree that sportsmanship is an important aspect of any sport. It is no less true for board games, esports, and wargames.

Although sportsmanship comes in many forms, everyone can give a few examples of what sportsmanship looks like and what it takes to be viewed as a “good sport”: However all the examples just scratch the surface of displaying good sportsmanship.

Sportsmanship is an understanding of and commitment to fair play, ethical behavior and integrity, and general goodwill toward an opponent.

Sportsmanship is athe affirmation that an athlete is disciplined enough to have perspective, maintain poise and do what is best for his or her teammates and fellow competitors.

Being able to make appropriate behavioral choices at the “moment of truth” and in a pressure situation will often reveal a player’s character and his or her ability to be a good sport. Simply put, sportsmanship is a choice.

While it is all so very easy to get caught up in a game and become too focused on winning, there is so much to be gained and learned from an athletic experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Good sportsmanship is one of those life lessons that should be intentionally learned, taught, practiced and reinforced.

It is on such basis that MSSA makes the Sportsmanship Award after each and every championship that it runs.

The winners are then, at the end of the year, are all in line to win the prestigious Dorian Love Trophy for the athlete that most epitomizes such qualities.

MSSA is proud of each athlete to whom the sportsmanship award has been made, and each athlete has a very dear position in the heart of MSSA.

The fill list of winners to date are:

2021
Championship	Recipient	Club
Western Cape Online	Rafeeq Cariem	PES Society
Online School	Liam Moodley	Northcliff High School
Provincial Online School	Aidan Vorster	ZAG Academy (Krugersdorp High School)
Online SA School	Kennard Ward	Fairmont High school
Gauteng Online	Liam Moodley	Northcliff High School
KwaZulu Natal Online	Liam Moodley	Northcliff High School
Free State Online	Theunis van der Merwe	Hoërskool Klerksdorp

Monday, 13 September 2021

Results: MSSA's 2021 NORTH WEST Online Provincial Championships

John-Paul Sikiotis (Waterstone College) demonstrated great flair and skill when taking the North West title.

Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) North West Online Provincial Championships proved to be a popular event with players participating from four (4) provinces. MSSA's North West Online Provincial Championships allowed athletes to play around with perfecting new tactics and strategies leading up to the 2022 team selection.

Athletes are reminded that by finishing in the top 3, or top twenty percent - whichever is greater, at MSSA's North West Online Provincial Championships, such athletes qualify for selection to the national squad and for the Protea Team.

While the 'Old Guard' (ZAG DOTA, Liam Moodley, Kyle Voster, Aidan Voster, Leone Loftus, Theunis van der Merwe, and Shaun Lopes) dominated their respective esports titles, it was refreshing ande exciting to see newcomers, in the form of Waterstone College, laying all to waste in the Counter-Strike: GO, FIFA 21, and Paladins esports titles.

Waterstone College has entered with a 'bang' and it seems as though the school is setting itself up as a major force in South African esports.

As seen in the past, so much is dependent on having strong Educators to ensure the success of both clubs and athletes. In the case of Waterstone College, it is Llewellyn Bedworth who is the rock upon which the success of both club and athlete is built.

A record 21 athletes were awarded provincial colours for the 2021 gaming year.

Title	Name of player/team	Club	Colours awarded
Clash Royale	Liam Moodley	Northcliff High School	Gauteng Provincial
Counter-Strike: GO	carpe diem	Waterstone College	Gauteng Provincial
DotA 2	ZAG DOTA	ZAG Academy	Various provincial
FIFA 21 - Premier - Male	John-Paul Sikiotis	Waterstone College	Gauteng Provincial
FIFA 21 - High School - Male	Kahlin PillayJohn-Paul Sikiotis	Waterstone College
HearthStone	Kyle Voster	Zag Academy	Gauteng Provincial
HearthStone	Aidan Voster	Zag Academy	Gauteng Provincial
Paladins	Ghost of sparta	Waterstone College	Gauteng Provincial
Street Fighter - Premier - Female	Leone Loftus	Masters of Mind Sports	Free State Provincial
Street Fighter - Premier - Male	Theunis van der Merwe	Hoërskool Klerksdorp	North West Provincial
Tekken 7	Shaun Lopes	NWU - Vaal
Tekken 7	Sean Surprise Mafuma	NWU - Vaal
Sportsmanship Award	Liam Moodley	Northcliff High School

Esports, and other games

Friday, 17 September 2021

Limpopo Online Provincial Championships - 25 September 2021