First in Battle (FiB) re-affiliates to MSSA.

FiB's latest elite team.

Having first affiliated to Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) in 2007, First in Battle (FiB) ceased to be a member in 2015. However, First in Battle (FiB) has started a revival aiming to take the club back to the top. The club is determined to get there and are here to win.

In the past the club has proved its worth time-and-time again having earned the following:

• Team SA - National Colours BF2 2007
• Team SA - National Colours 2012 BF3
• Provincial Colours BF2142 2007 BF2
• Provincial Colours 2008 COD4
•  1st CoD4 MSSA Champions 2008
•  BF2 MSSA National Team
•  1st BF3 National Team 2012
• 2nd BF2142 MSSA National Championships 2007
• 3rd CoD4 MSSA Leg 2 2008

Amanda Pakade, MSSA President, stated, "A.J. Herbst, founder of FiB is without doubt one of the leading figures in South African esports. His vision and dedication has ensured that the club has survived over the years, and his commitment to esports will see FiB continue from strength-to-strength." 

Amanda then added, " FiB is proof that all clubs are welcome in MSSA and thateven after a respite, all clubs know that MSSA has an open-door policy."

MSSA is hopeful that FiB will continue to have a long, prosperous, and fruitful association with South Africa's official controlling body for esports.

Also read:

• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• Entry fees for Provincial and National Championships
• How school clubs affiliate for the 2020 season.
• 2020 Calendar of Events
• The various events held by Mind Sports South Africa.
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Selecting the national Protea teams for Mind Sports South Africa.
• The road to Eilat

Milestones.

MSSA's BF2142 team that went to Taiwan in 2006.

Many will know that Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) sent its first team across in 1991 to the World Wargames Championships. MSSA (then known as the South African Wargames Union) too took part in the meeting at Vanderbijlpark (as featured in the film Invictus) which decided the fate of the Springbok emblem. Thus in 1994, MSSA moved away from the Springbok logo and adopted the Protea.

It seems that in every year that MSSA reaches new heights an creates new milestones on its journey.

2016 was no different, and MSSA certainly created some impressive milestones, the most important being:

* Thomas Brown became SA's first accredited international referee.

* Thomas Brown refereed the World Cyber Arena finals in Beijing.

* Jason Batzofin was elected on to IeSF's Athletes' Commission.

* Colin Webster was re-elected on to IeSF's Management Board.
* Morizane Boyes became the first female President of MSSA.
* MSSA held its 30th National Championships on 3 & 4 December 2016.
* Rules were amended to allow MSSA to be the only SA sport federation with true gender equity.

However, none of it would have been possible without the participation of each and every level. All members made a contribution to help MSSA grow and survive.

Thank you, one and all.

Now that's dedication!

2009 LG Mobile Gaming Team (Natalie Witoslawski and Kgothatso Moerane from Tuks University)

From the day that the MSSA started in 1985, it was MSSA's intention to get players overseas for the various disciplines for which it is the custodian.

Even as early as 1991, even though the sports moratorium was in place, MSSA tentavely started sending teams to international events. However, when the sports moratorium was lifted in 1994, MSSA started to aggressively send teams overseas for wargames, checkers, draughts, and morabaraba.

However, it was not until 2005 that  MSSA started to send eSports teams overseas as the following schedule will demonstrate:

Date	Event	Games titles
2005	World Cyber Games – South Korea	Mobile games
2006	Asian Championships - Taiwan	BF 2142
2007	World Cyber Games – USA	Red Alert
2008	Continental Championships – Johannesburg, Romania	COD 4, DotA
2009	World Cyber Games – Chendu, China	Guitar Hero
2009	Dreamhack – Denmark	FIFA '09
2009	IeSF Challenge – Taebeck, South Korea	FIFA Online, WarCraft III
2010	Hyundai FIFA '10™ International Challenge – South Korea	FIFA Online
2010	LG Mobile World championships – New York, USA	Mobile gaming
2010	Hyundai FIFA '10™ International Challenge – Busan, South Korea	FIFA Online
2010	IeSF World Championships – Daegu, South Korea	FIFA Online, WarCraft III
2010	World Cyber Games – San Fransisco, USA	Guitar Hero
2010	Test match between Namibia and South Africa – Windhoek	COD 4, FIFA '10
2011	LG Mobile World championships – New York, USA	Mobile gaming
2011	IeSF World Championships – Andong, South Korea	FIFA Online, StarCraft II
2011	IeSMoD World Championships – JeJu, South Korea	Kart, StarCraft II
2012	Nation's Cup – Online International Championships	BF3
2012	IeSF World Championships – Cheonan, South Korea	StarCraft II, Tekken TT II
2013	Nation's Cup – Online International Championships	BF3
2013	South Africa vs Romania Test Match – Johannesburg, South Africa	StarCraft II
2013	South Africa vs Romania Online Test Match – Online	DotA 2
2013	South Africa vs Mexico Online Test Match – Online	DotA 2
2013	Tri-nations between Denmark, Israel, and South Africa - Online	DotA 2
2013	DreamHack - Bucharest, Romania	StarCraft II
2013	IeSF World Championships – Bucharest, Romania	League of Legends, StarCraft II, Tekken TTII
2014	South Africa vs Egypt Online Test Match – Online	DotA 2
2014	South Africa vs Finland Online Test Match – Online	StarCraft II
2014	South Africa vs Finland Online Test Match – Online	DotA 2
2014	South Africa vs Namibia Online Test Match – Online	DotA 2
2014	IeSF World Championships – Baku, Azerbijan	DotA 2, HearthStone, StarCraft II, Tekken Tag Tournament II
2015	South Africa vs Zimbabwe Online Test Match – Online	FIFA '15
2015	South Africa vs Austria Online Test Match – Online	FIFA '15
2015	South Africa vs Israel Online Test Match – Online	League of Legends
2015	EFRAG World Championships - Online	CounterStrike: GO
2015	IeSF World Championships – Seoul, South Korea	League of Legends, HearthStone, StarCraft II,

The sheer amount of man-hours committed to making these events  work is mind-boggling.

Full credit must be  given to those  MSSA volunteers who have  made all these events happen.

Based on the above, 2016 will be an interesting year.