Thinking out the box.

Empangeni High School's athletes in action.

The Ladder has taken on greater significance in Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) with the requirement that any player that wishes to be selected needs to be ranked in the top ten of such ladder.

The Ladder is therefore a vital part of selection.

However, the Ladder too lends itself to assisting clubs raise their own competitive standards, as Empangeni High School attests.

Empangeni High School uses the ladder internally as a useful tool to prepare its athletes for the rigour of competition, and currently has two athletes ranked in the top ten in the High School Ladder for the FIFA '19 esport period/game.

Only a Registered Player that is ranked in the top ten positions on the ladder, may automatically qualify for National Team Selection. It is therefore vital for any player wishing to be considered for national team selection to actively participate in the Ladder.

The Ladder works on a system of challenges throughout the year in order to give clubs the opportunity to improve their teams/players' playing skills outside of the normal MSSA championships. The Ladder allows teams/players' to experiment with new tactics, combinations, etc.

Registered Players, through the Member Club to which they are affiliated, may challenge any Register Player on the ladder. Any Registered Player so challenged has 5 days within which to respond and play the match. Such rule allows the ladder to retain its dynamic nature and stops the challenged Registered Player from delaying unnecessarily.

However, any Registered Player challenged during any official MSSA event while both such Registered Players are participating in such event, and are paired by the umpire to play against each other, must play such challenge. This means that any or all games in a MSSA Regional, Provincial, and/or National Championship may count as ladder games.

The full rules for the ladder may be found here: Important changes to MSSA's Inter-Club Ladder rules.

The full results are as follows:

Pos	Name of Player	year	Club
1	Joshua Williams	18	Northcliff High School
2	Yorke Soni	18	Northcliff High School
3	Mikhyle Naidoo	18	Northcliff High School
4	Blake Govender	18	Oakhill School
5	Siyabonga Biyela	19	Empangeni High School
6	Sash Sunkar	18	Oakhill School
7	Matt Jenkin	18	Oakhill School
8	Irfaan Sabat	18	Empangeni High School
9	Jarius Naidoo	18	Northcliff High School
10	Francois Viljoen	18	Oakhill School
11	Phathu Motsi	18	Northcliff High School
12	Koketso Lekganyane	18	Northcliff High School
13	Jodie Motala	19	Empangeni High School
14	Siyanda Nyaka	19	Empangeni High School
15	Motlatso Ramusi	18	Northwood Boys
16	Tayla Allman	18	Northcliff High School
17	Zamani Magagula	17	HTS Witbank
18	Kristian Volek	17	Northcliff High School
19	Sicelo Mahaye	17	HTS Witbank
20	Gareth v Straten	17	HTS Witbank
21	Sean Sithole	17	HTS Witbank
22	Jeremiah Banda	18	Northwood Boys
23	Umar Onafuwa	18	Curro Klerksdorp
24	Kopano Maseko	18	Curro Klerksdorp
25	Ryan Nyamucherera	18	Northcliff High School
26	Allen Magagula	17	HTS Witbank
27	Sibabalo Kalani	18	Oakhill School
28	Bongi Ndlovu	18	Oakhill School
29	Siyathokoza Maphumulo	18	Empangeni High School
30	Raken Belayet	18	Curro Klerksdorp
31	Nkanyiso Masinga	19	Empangeni High School
32	Andy Zoundokpe	18	Hoërskool Warmbad
33	Mthokozisi Sibanyoni	17	HTS Witbank
34	Wandile Khumalo	18	Northcliff High School
35	Unathi Magekiso	18	Northwood Boys
36	Kembo Arfaro	18	Curro Klerksdorp
37	Nicholis Chihanga	18	Curro Klerksdorp
38	Bux Imtiyaaz	18	Hoërskool Warmbad
39	Zuko Nomaqhiza	18	Curro Klerksdorp
40	Aphiwe Mthembu	18	Empangeni High School
41	Neo Nkabela	17	HTS Witbank
42	Sihe Hltshawayo	19	Empangeni High School
43	Sanele Khanyile	19	Empangeni High School

Other Ladders are:

• Counter-Strike: GO - Senior
• Counter-Strike: GO - High Schools
• DotA 2 - Senior
• DotA 2 - High School
• FIFA - Senior
• FIFA - High Schools
• League of Legends - Senior
• League of Legends - High Schools
• Street Fighter V - Senior
• Street Fighter V - High Schools
• Tekken 7 - Senior

Also read:

• The new national team selection criteria.
• 2019 Calendar of Events

Hoërskool Monument Park affiliates to Mind Sports South Africa.

Hoërskool Monument Park is also joining the digital age of esports.

Mind Sports South Aftica (MSSA) is the oldest esports gaming organisation in South Africa, if not the world. Having been founded in 1985, MSSA has lead the field year-after-year.

Through hard work and dedication, it was MSSA that managed to get esports accredited as a sport in South Africa, as far back as 2005.

Since 2005. Protea Colours have been awarded regularly to South Africa's official National Teams, and South Africa has proudly competed in many World Championships and International Test Matches.

School-after-school that also see, and understand the vision, of esports being a fully accredited sport are flocking to affiliate to MSSA.

Monument Park High School is one such school 

Monument Park High School is situated on the Kraaifontein wetlands and believes that excellence in the classroom, on the sports field as well as culturally, are the building blocks for our youth. The  school also believes in teaching on strong religious principles.

Monument Park High School accommodates learning in both Afrikaans and English and its curriculum covers almost every possible subject and subject combination.

Mind Sports South Africa thus welcomes the school into affiliation, and is sure that the mutual partnership will benefit both.

Also read:

• 2019 Calendar of Events
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• 9th Online Inter-school Provincial Championships

Hope Fountain Combined School affiliates to MSSA.

Hope Fountain Combined School is the latest school to affiliate to MSSA.

Mind Sports South Africa  (MSSA) is continue to grow in membership.

The most recent school to affiliate to MSSA is Hope Fountain Combined School.

Hope Fountain Combined School prides itself on providing a conductive and challenging environment in Commercial and General subjects, teaching and learning. The school aims to help learners achieve their fullest potential.

The school prides itself on its diversity and and ability to meet the learner's needs in an ever changing South Africa.

Mind Sports South Africa welcomes Hope Fountain Combined School into membership and is sure that the school will have a long and fruitful relationship with MSSA.

Also read:

• 2019 Calendar of Events

MSSA revises its 2019 Calendar of Events.

MSSA's Calendar of Events is geared towards assisting the Selectors select the best possible team of Registered Players for service iin the Protea Teams.

2019 is well under way, with Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) having already held the Gauteng leg of its Umpire's Course on 19 January 2019.

February 2019 will be a busy month with the 27th Old Edwardian Summer Championships, 9th Online Inter-school Provincial Championships, and the 37th GAUTENG Championships being held.
Then March is the time for the Western Cape, with the Western Cape leg of its Umpire's Course on 2 March 2019, and the 23rd WESTERN CAPE Championships to be held on 23 & 24 March 2019.
As usual, MSSA presents a busy calendar that provides a bit of everything for all levels of competitive Registered Players.

2019 Calendar of Events

Date	Event	Discipline/periods	Venue
19 JANUARY	Umpires’ Course - Gauteng	All	Old Edwardian Society, 11 Ninth Ave., Lower Houghton
2 & 3 FEBRUARY	27th Old Edwardian Summer Championships	Ancients, Checkers, PES 2019, Morabaraba	Old Edwardian Society, 11 Ninth Ave., Lower Houghton
9 FEBRUARY	On-line Inter-school Provincial Championships	CS:GO, Fortnite, Paladins, FIFA '19, PES 2019, DotA 2, LoL, Clash Royale, HearthStone, Street FighterV,	On-line
23 & 24 FEBRUARY	37th GAUTENG Championships	Board games, Card games, Esports, wargames	Curro Aurora, Taurus Road Sundowner Randburg
2 MARCH	Umpire’s Course – Western Cape	All	Curro Durbanville, 1 Memento Drive, Sonstraal Heights, Durbanville, 7550
23 & 24 MARCH	23rd WESTERN CAPE Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	Curro Durbanville, 1 Memento Drive, Sonstraal Heights, Durbanville, 7550
6 APRIL	Provincial Online Student Championships	COD – BO 4, CS: GO, Fortnite, Paladins, FIFA ‘19, Dota 2, League of Legends	Online
20 APRIL	10th Provincial Online Championships	CS:GO, DotA 2, Fortnite, Paladins, FIFA '19, HearthStone, Clash Royale, LoL, Tekken 7, Street Fighter V	On-line
27 & 28 APRIL	Provincial School Championships for all provinces	Board and Figure games	TBD
11 MAY	Umpire’s Course – Mpumalanga	Umpiring course	TBD
25 & 26 MAY	18th MPUMALANGA Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	TBD
25 MAY	FINANCIAL AGM	Meeting	TBD
15 & 16 JUNE	SA School Championships	All	TBD
6 JULY	Fezile Dabi Regional Championships	To be determined	TBD
Week ending 19 JULY	1st round of School League	TBD	Online
19 & 20 JULY	Capricorn Regional Championships	To be determined	TBD
27 & 28 JULY	25th KWAZULU NATAL Championships	Board, Figure and eSports	TBD
3 & 4 AUGUST	16th FREE STATE Championships	All	TBD
10 AUGUST	Provincial Online Championships	TBD	On-line
24 & 25 AUGUST	24th NORTH WEST Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	TBD
TBA	Indigenous Games	Morabaraba	To be determined by SRSA
7 SEPTEMBER	Sedibeng Regional Championships	To be determined	TBD
21 & 22 SEPTEMBER	16th EASTERN CAPE Championship	All	TBD
28 & 29 SEPTEMBER	8th LIMPOPO Championships	All	TBA
1 NOVEMBER	Submit nominations of office-bearers	Admin	mindsportssa@iafrica.com
7 & 8 DECEMBER	33rd S A NATIONAL Championships	All	TBD
7 DECEMBER	36th NATIONAL CONVENTION	Annual General Meeting	TBD
TBA	SRSA's S A Schools Championships	Morabaraba	To be determined by SRSA

Also read:

• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• Esports titles for official High School Championships.
• How does a school join up for MSSA's 9th Online Inter-School Provincial Championships?
• New National Team Selection Criteria