City of Ekhurhuleni Regional Colours awarded.

Garth Schoeman - the first recipient of City of Ekurhuleni Regional Colours for mind sports.

MSSA's 2018 City of Johannesburg Regional Championships was hosted by The Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club on 8 & 9 September 2018 and the championship was, as usual, a successful event proving that Regional  Championships are vital to the long-term sustainability and growth of all mind sports.

At such championships only the Ancients wargame was played.

The award of Regional Colours at the City of Johannesburg Regional Championships again demonstrates the flexibility of the system.

Readers should be aware that Mind Sports South Africa awards Regional and Provincial Colours based on residency. 

Thus if a player lives in Benoni but plays in the City of Johannesburg Regional Championships and qualifies for Regional Colours, such player would still be awarded City of Ekurhuleni Regional Colours.
Thus, for the first time ever, a player, Garth Schoeman, has been awarded City of Ekurhuleni Colours for mind sports. Garth Schoeman is a long-time registered player and has served in the Protea Team (2002), served on MSSA's Management Board, represesnted South Africa as an international umpire, and currently chairs MSSA's Selection Committee, and is still able to maintain a high standard of play.

The full list of players who earned Regional Colours at MSSA's 2018 City of Johannesburg Regional Championships are as follows:

Name of player	Club	Colours awarded
Elwyn Jones	City of Johannesburg Regional Championships	City of Johannesburg Regional Colours
Garth Schoeman	Knights Mind Sports Club	City of Ekurhuleni Regional Colours
Terence Allwright	Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club	City of Johannesburg Regional Colours

Also read:

• Regional Colours are awarded to 21 players at Sedibeng.
• All the Regional Colours awarded eThekwini Regional Championships.

Results: City of Johannesburg Regional Championships for Ancients wargaming.

Elwyn Jones takes first place at the City of Johannesburg Championships.

The Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club hosted Mind Sports South Africa's longest running Regional  Championships, the City of Johannesburg Regional Championships for Ancients wargaming, on 8 & 8 September 2018. It should be noted that since the inception of such Regional Championships, the Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club has hosted each and every one.

As usual the Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club proved to be a great host with all the participants delighting in the excellent catering for which the Old Edwardian Society is famous.

Four past members of the Protea Team were in attendance, but none could have predicted the outcome as young Elwyn Jones cut a swathe through the assembled ranks to snatch first place,

None could withstand the onslaught as Elwyn had a perfect score in each and every round using the Later Swiss army.

As a result Elwin has earned himself City of Johannesburg Regional Colours as well as a berth at MSSA's 2019 National Team Trials.

Results: City of Johannesburg Regional Championships

Muhammed Laher

MSSA's 2017 City of Johannesburg Regional Championships was hosted by the Old Edwardian Wargames Club on 9 September 2017 for the 4th year in a row.

However, the Old Edwardian Wargames  Club has only held three periods (Ancients, FIFA '17, and Morabaraba) which now  allows other member clubs based inn Johannesburg to hold Regional Championships in other board game, esports, and wargames periods.

Readers should also be aware that MSSA awards Regional and Provincial Colours based on residency. Thus if a player lives in Polokwane but plays in the City of Johannesburg Regional Championships and qualifies for Regional Colours, such player would still be awarded Polokwane Regional Colours.

The winners of MSSA's 2017 City of Johannesburg Regional Championships are:

Title	Name of player/team	Club	Colours awarded
Ancients – DBM 3.2	Terence Allwright	Old Edwardian Wargames Club	Gauteng Regional
FIFA '17	Muhammed Laher	Mayfair	Gauteng Regional
Morabaraba	Terence Allwright	Old Edwardian Wargames Club
Morabaraba (female)	Anne- Lee Steyn	JCS Academy

Photographs of the event may be found on: https://www.facebook.com/pg/mindsportssa/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10156548349404008

MSSA's events for the month of September 2017.

September is going to be a very busy month for Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA).

What with three Regional Championships (Sedibeng, Johannesburg, and Polokwane) the month of September is certainly going to give a number of gamers an opportunity to not only win some medals and earn Regional Colours, but to also book a berth in the 2018 National Team Trials.

Any member club may host a Regional Championship. The rules are simple and are designed for clubs to fully benefit from hosting such.

When politicians attempt to further capture sport.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) has just received an e-mail from the Gauteng Sports Council (GSC) in which GSC is attempting to get a 'Johannesburg Sports Council' (JCS) off the ground.

The preamble of such JCS states:

"The Johannesburg Sports Confederation is herein established in terms of the Articles of Association of Gauteng Sports Confederation and South African Sports Confederation Olympic Committee. JSC stands by confirming the philosophy of non-racial and non-sexism to be the guiding principle in our endeavor to enhance unity, peace and harmony in sport in Johannesburg. The main object of JSC is to implement all GSC and SASCOC programs and to act as a controlling body of sports and recreation in Johannesburg.

The main object of JSC is to implement all GSC and SASCOC programs and to act as a Coordinating body of sports and recreation in Johannesburg.

JSC is responsible for the oversight of transformation, development and all the activities of all the sports and recreation done by its members. JSC will act as a controlling body for preparation and delivery of Team Johannesburg to all provincial games.

JSC will act as a coordinating body for preparation and delivery of Team Johannesburg to all provincial games."

Immediately on reading the preamble, warning bells sound off in my mind.

Really, the main object is to implement GSC and SASCOC programs, what about those of the athletes?

This is the danger of having too many tiers of membership, those who accept the positions of being an office-bearer quickly forget that they are there to serve the athlete, not the entrenched status quo.
Those drafting the JCS' Constitution have also seemingly forgotten to read the Sport and Recreation Act, Number 110 of 1998 (as amended) which makes the national federations to be the sole authorities.

Also, how will this new organisation deliver 'Team Johannesburg' to all provincial games? For a start it will have to comply with the national federation, and be affiliated to the national federation.
Only a politician with a very poor grasp of sports law could have drafted this document, and only politicians with ulterior motives could be proposing this half-baked proposal.

2017 City of Johannesburg Championships - 9 & 10 September 2017

OLD EDWARDIAN WARGAMES CLUB

11 Ninth Avenue, LOWER HOUGHTON, 2198
Tel: 011 728 7335
e-mail: wargames@iafrica.com
https://www.facebook.com/OE.wargames

As one of the oldest mind sports clubs in South Africa, having been established in 1989, Old Eds (to which it is lovingly referred) has remained at the forefront of promoting all the various disciplines.

The club has produced no less than five (5) world champions, and also is actively involved in the administration of the sport at national and international levels.

The club too also is the only club in Johannesburg that has hosted City of Johannesburg Regional Championships.

Such championships have produced the following winners:

Year	MEN				WOMEN
	Period	Name	Club		Name	Club
2016	Ancients	Tie: Jason Batzofin & Terence Allwright	St John's College Old Edwardian Wargames Club
	Morabaraba	Dion Du Preez	Witbank
2015	Ancients	Colin Webster	Old Edwardian Wargames Club
	FIFA ‘15	Rowan Batzofin	Wits University		Blair Hamberger	St Andrews
	Morabaraba	Simphiwe Maphumulpo	Zola Checkers Club		Boitemulo Mako	Nafeng Primary School
2014	Ancients	Dr Renier van Heerden	Knights Mind Sports Club		Elishia Retief	Old Edwardian Wargames Club
	Morabaraba	Merlin Love	St John’s college

Thus OEWC will be hosting the 2016 City of Johannesburg Championships on 9 & 10 September 2017.

The championship also counts as a qualifier for the MSSA's National Team Trials as according to MSSA's rules, the winner of a Regional Championship automatically is invited to such National Team Trials.

Entries will close at 18H00 on 4 September 2017. Players who wish to compete in any of MSSA's Championships are advised to complete their annual registration forms so that they may register as Registered Players as soon as possible. Late entries will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances.

All gamers are reminded that the City of Johannesburg Regional Championships is an open championship. In other words any registered player is entitled to enter the championship – no matter where they live, or their category of membership. If you have any queries, please contact the MSSA.

Championship Details:
Hosting Club: Old Edwardian Wargames Club (OEWC)

• Venue: Blue Room, Old Edwardian Society, 11 Ninth Ave, Lower Houghton, Johannesburg
• Date: 9 & 10 September 2017
• Game Entry Fees: R60.00 per Registered Player per Period
• Entries: Clubs must use the entry form on Google Drive to enter their players.
• Schedule: As below.
• Food & refreshments: Highly reasonable prices

	Saturday – 9/9/2017		Sunday – 10/9/2017
	Morabaraba	StarCraft II	Ancients	FIFA ‘17
Round 1	10H00-10H45	09H00	9H00-10H30	09H00
Round 2	11H00 - 11H45	10H30	11H00 – 12H30	10H30
Round 3	14H00 -14H45	12H00	14H00 – 15H30	12H00
Round 4	15H00 - 15H45	14H00	16H00 – 17H30	14H00
Round 5	16H00 - 16H45	15H30		15H30
Awards shall be awarded immediately after play has ceased.

Rules and Regulations: All Rules and Regulations pertaining to eSports are available from the MSSA. Players are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with the LAN Bylaws and all Period Specific Rules. If any Player wishes to provide advice regarding the drafting of the Period Specific Rules they are encouraged to contact MSSA who will take all comments into account.

The following Medals may be awarded at the MSSA's 2017 City of Johannesburg Regional Championship:

• PREMIER: Medals shall be awarded to the first three players who are registered players.
• SCHOLARS: Medals shall be awarded to the first three high school scholars, provided they have not received any Premier medals.
• WOMEN: Women will be awarded medals as per the same basis as above, that is in both categories as above.

Colours and National Team Trials:

• Regional Colours: All Players that win their division in a Regional Championship shall be awarded Regional Colours.
• National Team Trials: All Players that win their division in a Regional Championship shall earn an invitation to National Team Trials in such division. National Team Trials shall be held in the event that a National Team must be selected to represent South Africa when competing in such Period in an International Championship.

Please note that times may be changed to take into account load-shedding.

Johannesburg Municipality wins Morabaraba event at OR Tambo games

Jubilant City of Johannesburg gamers.

The recent OR Tambo games once again saw City of Johannesburg walk  away with the honours for Morabaraba.

At such games, all the various Gauteng municipalities play, such as, Ekhuruleni, Emfuleni, Johannesburg, Lesedi, Merafong, Mogale, Randfontein, Sedibeng, Tshwane, Westonaria, and Westrand.

The victory thus makes it the fourth year in a row that City of Johannesburg has won such event.

The team consisted of:

Female	Male
Name & Surname	Name & Surname
Poppy Seema	Alpheus Magongoa
Mavis Tladi	Alpheus Moomela
Mmaphuthi Tswai	James Mphahlele
Mahlodi Makua	Albert Shaku
Zanele Kabini (coach)	Frans Legodi (coach)

Meet MSSA's Stars: Johan van Breda

Johan van Breda

Johan van Breda is a student at the University of Johannesburg.

Johan broke into competitive gaming circles earlier this year at the Gauteng Provincial Championship for League of Legends.

Throughout his life nurtured an ever growing passion for gaming - especially those in the FPS and MOBA genre.

Having a burning desire to get more involved in competitive gaming Johan has the firm belief that the IeSF World Championships in Jakarta will be the first of many great adventures in this pursuit.

Johan realises to represent his country officially is a great honour.

Not only did he represent the country well in the Protea eSports League of Legends team, he did it in style and made all South Africans proud!

Johan too is confident that he will do even better in 2017.

Jason Batzofin the bid mover after City of Johannesburg Regionals

Jason marshalling his troops

While the number of entrants for MSSA's City of Johannesburg Regional Championships was a little disappointing as there were only entries from four different clubs and just two different provinces, it was still a very enjoyable tournament.

The four clubs that participated were St John's, Roedean School, Old Edwardian Wargames Club, and Riverview Mind Sports Club. 

Jason climbed from being ranked third (12 July 2016) to now be ranked as the number two player on the rankings underlining his ability to compete both on the Wargames table and in eSports, while Garth Schoeman of Knight Mind Sports Club retained his position as the top ranked player.

Terence Allright and Jason Batzofin both shared first place at MSSA's City of Johannesburg Regional Championships.

The Old Edwardian Wargames Club as usual hosted a well run and enjoyable tournament.

We are looking forward to an exciting SA Nationals to be hosted by HTS Witbank on the 3^rd and 4^th of December 2016.

Pos	Name of Player	year	Club	Points
1	Schoeman, Garth 02	15	KMSC	855,1
2	Batzofin, Jason	16	SJC	841,0
3	Retief, Elishia 14	16	OE	545,6
4	Webster, Colin 91	16	OE	493,1
5	Barry, Sean 09	16	RPS	478,5
6	Burger, Erasmus	15	TUKS	401,6
7	Holliday, Carl 09	14	PBHS	383,1
8	Humphreys, Connor	13	PBHS	383,1
9	Mullany, Donald	14	OE	383,1
10	Bouwer, Abie	15	OE	383,1
11	Havenga, Duane	15	WAR	324,9
12	Allwright, Terence	16	OE	303,7
13	Beuken, Leopold	15	RPS	195,0
14	Hervey, Simon	15	PBHS	190,0
15	Louw, Adam	15	PBHS	155,1
16	Retief, Ewan 14	15	OE	154,1
17	Getzner, Jacques	16	KMSC	140,0
18	Odgers, Jodi	13	WITS	115,5
19	van Vuuren, Marius	15	WAR	107,9
20	Humphreys, Evan	13	PBHS	105,9
21	Bouwer, Natan	15	OE	100,0
22	Groenewald, Zenadia	15	WAR	100,0
23	Retief, Michael	16	OE	100,0
24	Love, Dorian	16	OE	100,0
25	Schoeman, Alex	15	KMSC	81,6