2012 & 2013 eSports Board of Control Chairman

bvd_russian in pensive mood

Mind Sports South Africa is without doubt the oldest member of the IeSF having been founded on 14 December 1985 as a non-profit Association.

As an Association, the MSSA is governed by a committee that is elected at its General Meetings. In order to create stability in the Association, elections for the posts on the Management Board are staggered so that the entire Management Board does not change at the same time which would result in a loss of knowledge and experience.

Obviously, the Chairman of the eSports Board of Control has become more and more important with the massive growth in eSports in South Africa. In the past the position of Chairman of the eSports Board of Control was often held by registered players who had a keen interest in eSports, but had not really participated themselves in competitive leagues.

2012 saw a new era being ushered in with David Webster being unanimously elected in to the position of Chairman of the eSports Board of Control.

David had received Protea Colours from Mind Sports South Africa (1997 to 2001) as well as from Shooting South Africa for the game of Paintball (2010 and 2011). However, it is his work in eSports that is relevant to his credentials. David Webster - known as bvd_russian - was one of the founding members (along with Garth Jones and Kevin Murphy) of the second oldest CounterStrike clans that we have in South Africa – Bravado Gaming (Bvd Gaming).

Bravado Gaming has done much to improve the standard of competitive gaming in South Africa, and is the only South African team to have played against the Swedish team SK Gaming in CounterStrike 1.6 when MSSA brought out SK Gaming out to South Africa for the 2008 ACER African Continental Championships.

In taking up his position on the eSports Board of Control, David brought with him years of experience of competitive play as well as a youthful enthusiasm that generated confidence and participation.

David was a true asset to MSSA and to all gaming in South Africa.

MSSA elections: One of the hardest positions on the Board

Four previous eSports Representatives: (from left to right) Johann von Backström (2006 - 2008), Dr Ryan van den Bergh (2009 - 2011), David Webster (2012 - 2013), Ryan Boyes (2014 - 2016)

The eSports Representative is not only a member of the Management Board, but is also the Chairperson of the eSports Board of Control.

Having to run the eSports Board of Control is not  an easy task.

eSports is the fastest growing disciplines in MSSA with the largest number of clubs,and has, without doubt the most vociferous of Registered Players.

Often it means that the person holding the position has to fight long and hard at Management Board level to ensure that the gamer's rights are protected and enforced.

In fact it is through the eSports Representatives that many of the most profound changes have been introduced into MSSA.

All the eSports Representatives have come through a solid gaming background,and in terms of MSSA's  Constitution, have to if they wish to stand for the position.

Duties of the eSports representative are:

• To chair the eSports Board of Control,
• Ensure that the bye laws for the various titles are up-to-date,
• Ensure that rankings are produced,
• Produce a budget prior to the Annual General Meeting (AGM),
• Represent the discipline of eSports on the Management Board,
• Liaise with IeSF, and
• Manage the National Team.

Through careful management on the part of the eSports Representative, MSSA has sent Protea Teams to international  events every year since 2005, and has attained the following IeSF ranking:

Year	Venue	Position
2015	Seoul -  South Korea	12th
2014	Baku -  Azerbaijan	13th
2013	Bucharest -  Romania	10th
2012	Cheonan -  South Korea	18th
2011	Andong -  South Korea	13th

Knowing the work that the position entails, it will indeed be interesting to see who stands for the position at the  2016 AGM.