Proposed changes to the selection of MSSA's Protea Teams.

MSSA's Protea League of Legends Esports Team that attended IESF's 10th World Championships - Kaohsuing City.

Selection of a Protea Team is always a thorny issue.

What with some athletes feeling omitted, outsiders believing that thay could do a better job, and many other factors, there is always  some level of controversy surrounding the selection of the national team - no matter what the sport code.

However, over the years, Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) has refined its selection criteria, and will continue to do so, in order to create the best selection process.

The current thought is that it is not good enough to just select teams at the National Team Trials, as suchh NTT is held over too short a period for a proper evaluation of the candidate athletes.

Thus, in the proposed changes, National Team Trials as a separate event will be abolished, and selection will take place by examing the results of teams over 3 MSSA championships. Such championships may be Regional, Provincial, and/or National  Championships.

This method will also give the Selectors time to interview all the candidates in a more relaxed manner in order to ensure that all athletes are afforded every opportunity.

There is no doubt that the revised rules apropos selection shall increase the pool from which MSSA's Selectors have to choose and will give even more athletes the opportunity to be selected.

However, it must be remembered that any athlete not conforming to the code of conduct, will not be selected.

The proposed rules are as follows:

12.1 NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION

1. The National Squad Selection Date for every year shall be announced on MSSA’s annual calendar of events after every Annual General Meeting and shall be at least 30 days before the event.
2. Selection shall only be held in periods/genres that are currently being played at a MSSA Provincial or National Championships, if such period is played in at least 30% of the Provinces.
3. To be eligible for selection a player shall;
   i. If being of the age of majority and have received Protea and/or, National Federation, and/or Provincial Colours in the previous year, shall have successfully completed an Umpires’ Course (if such course was held in the province in which such player resides after the date of being awarded such colours), and
   ii. Have been awarded Protea and/or National Federation Colours in the previous year, or
   iii. Have participated in at least 3 MSSA events where such player shall have in at least 2 of these 3 events;

   I.   Have won a Regional Championship in such period/genre, or

   II.  Have finished in the top 20% or top three places, whichever is greater, at any          official Provincial Championships for such period/genre, or

   III. Have finished in the top 20% or top three places, whichever is greater, at the            SA School National Championships for such period/genre.

   IV. Be fully-paid-up members of an affiliated Member, and

   V.  Be ranked in the top ten of the Ladder for such period/genre.

   
   
4. Only players who have participated in MSSA’s SA National Championships and who meet the above criteria as stated in Schedule 12.1.3 (above) shall be considered for selection, unless any of the following apply:
   i. A player is on maternity leave, or
   ii. A player is on paternity leave, or
   iii. A player is on compassionate leave, or
   vi. A player is unable to obtain leave from his/her employer, or
   v. A player has valid financial reasons for not attending (being on holiday and thus not being able to afford to attend, does not count as a valid financial reason), or
   vi. The player is a minor and has not received parental permission to attend, or
   vii. Be in their first year of registration.
5. Should a player meet the requirements of any of the criteria as stated in Schedule 12.1.3 (as above), such player may still be considered for selection if such player has won, or is part of a team that has won, all of his/her games at a Provincial Championship that has been held in a physical venue.
6. Players making themselves eligible for selection, shall submit copies of their valid Passports with theirentry to the SA National Championships.
7. Should entry fees be required, such entry fees shall be paid by the date of entry.
8. Players, who are minors, making themselves eligible for selection, shall submit copies of their valid Passports and any other documentation as required with their entry to the SA National Championships.

Also read: 

• For a team to be selected, the game must be played at SA National Championships.

• SA's Ladder titles are up for grabs at SA National Championships.

• SA National Championships: Extension of entry date - 27 November 2018.