MSSA welcomes TuksEsports back into the fold.

Maryke Kennard (TuksEsports) in action at IeSF's 7th World Championships

TuksEsports, after a short absence, has returned to the fold.

The University Club has an impressive list of athletes who have earned Protea Colours. Such athletes have all represented South Africa, and TuksEsports, with distinction.

Such athletes who have represented South Africa in New York, Jakarta, and Seoul are:

Name of player	Esports title	Club/Team
Francois Mouton	HearthStone	TuksEsports
Johan Uys (2 awards)	League of Legends	TuksEsports
Johan van Breda	League of Legends	TuksEsports
Kennard, Maryke (2 awards)	League of Legends	TuksEsports
Stringer, Vasudev	League of Legends	TuksEsports
Tilley, Cameron	League of Legends	TuksEsports
Barry West	HearthStone	TuksEsports
Kgothatso Moerane	Texting	TuksEsports
Natalie Witoslawski	Texting	TuksEsports

Mind Sports South Africa's President, Colin Webster, has stated, "The entire MSSA is delighted to have TuksEsports back in the fold. There is no doubt that TuksEsports has already made a huge contribution, and will continue to do so".

Letladi Lekolwane, TuksEsports Manager, added, "We are the TuksEsports Club and our main focus is to compete in a variety of leagues and competitions to get our name out there. 

The bigger picture is to develop an esports culture through universities across the country and create our own league for students to compete. It is our vision to include high school players into our Club and leagues. We have incorporated Neuroscience in our Club, which we believe will help our club members develop quicker and more calculated reactions, promote memory and fine motor skills, as well help them understand how their brain works in different situations."

TuksEsport Chairperson -  Frédéric Augustyn

TuksEsports Manager - Letladi Lekolwane

 Also read:

• 2022 Calendar of Events
• Affiliation: Private Clubs
• Affiliation - Schools
• Events: 4th Provincial Online Student Championships - 9 April 2022
• Events: 2022 Online Provincial Championships - 16 April 2022
• IDF: MSO Grand Prix 2022
• IESF: Bali Confirmed as Host of the 2022 World Esports Championships Finals
• IESF: IESF TO HOST CSGO EVENT FOR FEMALES.
• IESF: MSSA officially enters Protea Team
• IESF: Six Game Titles for IESF's 2022 World Esports Championships
• Ladder: Clash Royale
• Notices: Calling all volunteers
• Notices: R65,000.00 in prizes for esports league
• Notices - Advertise your club
• Notices: Learners may play for both private and school clubs.
• Notices - Transfer season
• Results: 2022 Online Western Cape Championships
• Results: Combined Online Provincial Championships for Schools
• Titles: With immediate effect.
• Titles - esports: High School Championships
• Titles - esports: Premier Championships
• Titles - esports: Student Championships

Factors influencing women participating in sport

Some of MSSA's heroes: Gabrielle Isaacs, Lyrene Kühn, Morizane Boyes, Yolande Williams, and Maryke Kennard.

With females having considerably fewer opportunities to play high school sports than boys, and have. There too is an additional lack of access to adequate facilities near their homes that makes it more difficult for girls to engage in sports.

Added to the fact that many sports require a dedicated place to participate – which for many girls means traveling to facilities through unsafe neighborhoods. Thus, for many, the only option may be to stay home.

Another reason, despite recent progress, is the perceived discrimination. There is a great deal of bullying, and social isolation of those who compete in sport. Thus during adolescence twice as many girls drop out of sport as  what boys do.

Other reasons why females drop out of sport is that the quality level of their sports experience often declines. Generally, facilities allocated to girls are not as good as those allocated to boys. Times allocated to training are often too not optimal (considering the safety factors that need to be taken into account). Training needs to be different, and there are often not enough coaches of quality. Often coaches also tend to focus more on the boys’ programs that have more money for training. Often too equipment, uniforms, and events are not funded at the same levels which means the ability to grow and enjoy the sport is lessened. 

Thus, outside sport, many females do not learn the important life skills such as teamwork, leadership and confidence. Sport are an asset to American families, fostering communication and trust between parents and children

The benefits of playing sport are real.

Over two-thirds of working women consider  that  participating in sport helps their self-image and ability to deal with the pressures of work.

Sport too has a vital part to aid communication at home.

Thus Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is absolutely committed to promoting gaming on an equitable basis among both genders.

eSports have a real value in that they can dispense with a lot  of the problems as expressed above. However, caution still has to be exercised as cyber-bullying remains a very real threat.

There is no quick-fix, but MSSA is convinced that it is on the right path.

Maryke Kennard continues to smash preconceived ideas

Maryke Kennard in action at IeSF's 7th World Championships

Maryke Kennard made history in 2015 when she was the first ever women to represent a country in a team game,  and to be the captain of such team, at IeSF’s 7th World Championships – Seoul.

If that was enough, Maryke then went on to give the Athlete’s Oath at the start of IeSF’s 7th World Championships,  and when the South African team just missed getting into the group stages, Maryke assisted Reid ‘RAPiD’ Melton shoutcast the event to millions of watchers.

Maryke is thus the first South African to ever have shoutcasted at a world championships.

A weaker person would have settled with these achievements, but, for Maryke, they are just the start.

Maryke is too a great sense of character. Although Maryke did a wonderful job of leading the Protea  League of Legends, Maryke stood down as captain to allow fellow team mate, Matthew Smith, take up the  reigns  of  captain.

As a  player, Maryke has been reselected to  represent South Africa  in the eSports Protea Team for IeSF’s 8th World Championships – Jakarta.

It should  be noted that Maryke shall be the only female participant at such world championships.

Such is the stuff that Maryke is made, she is indomitable.

Some questions about Mind Sports South Africa

Stephen Fowler de Witt has raised three questions apropos  the running of Mind Sports South Africa.

In order to create a greater awareness among gamers, the questions are answered here, 

Stephen Fowler de Witt's questions are in red, and MSSA's answers in red. 

Question 1: How many members is currently affiliated with MSSA? From that total amount of members. How many actually participate in E-sports? (I would like to know the number because the MSSA has told me before that we can join and change it from within. For us to have a majority vote, we would need the majority number of members. So it is important that this number is accurate).

Answer:

To fully understand the way in which MSSA operates, it is important to  understand the structure of MSSA.

Registered players are affiliated to clubs. Clubs are then affiliated to MSSA.

It is the club that is  the member of MSSA.

In order to operate a club, a club must have at least three Registered Players to be a legal entity. Some clubs affiliated to MSSA have over 200 registered players.

In total, there are 53 clubs  affiliated to MSSA throughout South Africa.

Since MSSA is a democratic institution, it  is important to note that all decisions made at every level are done through voting, and the majority decision always holds sway.

Question 2: Where is the current president of the MSSA? We never hear from him. Ever. Would like to communicate with him as well.

Simphiwe Maphumulo

Simphiwe Maphumulo was  elected as  the  President of Mind Sports  South Africa in December 2013. Simphiwe's term of  office comes  to  an end in December 2016 when new elections for such shall be held.

Simphiwe has served with distinction during his term of office and has had to  deal with many issues in his  portfolio.

It is not true that gamers have not heard from him. All press releases  issued are first approved  by the President before being issued by MSSA.

For people to contact the  President, they are welcome to do so by writing to MSSA's office.

Maryke Kennard receiving her Protea Colours from Ryan Boyes

Question 3: Who currently runs the E-sport sector within the MSSA? Would we be able to replace him once we all join?

The current Chairman of the eSports Board of Control is Ryan Boyes.

As stated many times previously, all positions are voted upon at the Annual General Meeting every December.

Positions  on the Management Board are all voluntary (in  other words, there is  no pay) and  are for a period of three years.

The positions available at the 2016 Annual General Meeting may be found on http://esportscommentator.blogspot.co.za/2016/03/quite-few-posts-up-for-election-at.html

As you will  no doubt notice, MSSA has publicised the positions since March 2016 so that everybody is aware of such.
Any full-paid-up Registered Player is able to stand for any position as long as a member club nominates such player,  and another member club seconds such nomination.

Massive changes required in the administration of eSports

Maryke Kennard - captain of the 2015 Protea eSports Team that attended 7th IeSF World Championships - Seoul

Talking to a number  of Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) officials, there is a growing awareness of a number of very important changes that need to be made in the way that eSports is administrated if it is ever to become an IOC sanctioned sport.

First there are the governance  issues. Not only must the governance of the IeSF be above reproach, but there needs to be a number of constitutional changes made.

The IOC demands that there is gender equality in the member bodies. This must be enforced in the constitution where the gender ratio's are enforced.

Again, MSSA intends  to lead the way in this regard. It  seems as though a number of officials are debating on how to create gender equality on MSSA's Management Board.

The changes could effectively  mean that MSSA would be the first South African National Federation that would ensure that women hold as many positions on the Management Board as what their male counterparts do.

It is all very exciting!

Can Protea Team members play in non MSSA events?

Maryke Kennard (capt.) and Johan Uys (coach) of the 2015 Protea League of Legends team

I heard a rumour that should you compete in the overseas tournament you won't be able to compete again in any event for a year afterwards? If that is true, would I be able to compete in DGL?

The official response from MSSA is: "No, that is a malicious rumour.

What the rule states is that while you are a member of the Protea team, you may only play for teams affiliated to MSSA.

So, if you become a member of the Protea Team, as long as you are a member of an affiliated club, you can play in any championship you like.

However, if you are in the Protea Team and you leave the affiliated club for which you play, the team that you join must be affiliated. Because you do not affiliate to DGL, you only play in their championships.

DGL is a marketing arm of TELKOM. TELKOM does not allow anyone to affiliate to it.

Thus you can play in DGL.

So, if you get your Protea Colours you can play in championships organised by MWEB, DGL, ORENA, ESL, ESWC, etc, as long as the club you are representing is affiliated to MSSA.

Once the contract expires (contracts are for one calendar year) you may play for whomever you like."

Should gamers be concerned about Maria Sharapova?

Maryke Kennard (South Africa) taking the Athlete's Oath at IeSF's 2015 World Championships - Seoul

Should gamers be concerned about Maria Sharapova?

The short  answer is - YES! An undeniable, unreservedly, yes!

As eSports hurtles towards  becoming a mainstream sport, the relationship between IeSF and WADA (World Anti Doping Authority) becomes more and more important.

While substances not on the WADA list may be taken, it is absolutely important that athletes follow the due processes and keep an eye on all WADA announcements.

As soon as a substance makes the WADA list, the athlete needs to be cognisant of the change and react  accordingly.

It is all part of being a  professional athlete.

Ignorance is not an excuse!

It really does not matter if the athlete, or cyber-athlete, made a mistake, or took the substance unknowingly, as it is the athlete's responsibility to ensure that he/she is in line with WADA.

The 7th e-Sports World Championship will be held at NexonArena, Seoul on December 2nd~5th

The International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) has announced that the 7th e-Sports World Championship Seoul 2015, which is the sole international e-Sports event where players compete as representing their countries will be held in at NEXON ARENA in Seoul, South Korea from 2^nd to 5^th in December 2015. The World Championship is officially sponsored by LONGZHU TV.

Maryke Kennard

The official game titles are ‘League of Legends’, ‘StarCraft® II : Legacy of the Void’ and ‘Hearthstone®: Heroes of Warcraft™. IeSF’s member national federations conducted their national qualifiers for the World Championship, and 170 players from 28 member nations who are approved to represent their own countries are participating in the World Championship. As the competition method is ‘Open for All’, which has no limitation for both male and female players to compete, 2 female players are selected to participate in the event. One is Korean female StarCraft® II player, Ga Young Kim, who won the champion for StarCraft® II female division at 2012 World Championship, and the other is Maryke Kennard proudly leading the MWEB Protea League of Legends team from South Africa.

Also, in the 7th e-Sports World Championship Seoul 2015, it has been decided that representatives from International Sports Organizations such as International Olympic Committee and Olympic Council of Asia, who have been cooperating with IeSF are visiting the event. Through the 7th e-Sports World Championship, possibility of e-Sports’ recognition from International Sports Society will be examined by such representatives.

The World Championship is officially sponsored by LONGZHU TV, one of Chinese major streaming companies. LONGZHU TV will keep their support for the sole model of International competition of e-Sports through this World Championship.

Mr. Byunghun Jun, the president of IeSF said “The official international competition event is a significant model to enlarge the grassroots and have international competitiveness in all sports scenes. In addition, this will contribute greatly to the growth of the international e-Sport world. Since the e-Sports World Championship is attracting attention of International Sports Society as the sole international competition of e-Sports where national players can compete, this event will be the huge opportunity for e-Sport to approach International sports society.

• Appendix. Participating Country List

Country	LOL	SC2	HS
Korea	○	○	○
Australia	○
Austria			○
Azerbaijan		○	○
Belgium		○	○
China	○	○	○
Chinese Taipei	○	○
Finland		○	○
Georgia		○	○
Indonesia	○		○
Iran	○
Israel	○	○	○
Mongolia	○	○	○
Philippines	○	○	○
Romania	○	○	○
Russia	○	○
Serbia	○	○	○
South Africa	○	○	○
Sweden		○	○
Switzerland	○	○	○
Thailand	○		○
Tunisia	○		○
Vietnam			○