National Federation Colours on offer at MSSA's South African National Online Esports Championships - 3 December 2022.

Athletes that win all their matches at the SA National Esports Championships automatically earn themselves National Federation Colours.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) will thus be holding its South African National Online  Esports Championships on  3 December 2022.

MSSA's South African National Online Esports Championships, which will offer local players the opportunity to qualify for selection to the national squad and for the Protea Team.

In order to participate, players must be registered for the 2022/2023 season.

The championship shall be held on 3 December 2022.

Game titles to be played are:

Period/genre	Title	Platform	Age restriction	Players
Shooter	Call of DutyMobile	PC/mobile	18	5 v 5
	CS GO	PC	16	5 v 5
	Paladins	PC/console	12	5 v 5
	PUBG Mobile	Mobile	17	4 v 4
Sport	FIFA '22	Console	12	1 v 1
	PES 2022	Console	12	1 v 1
MOBA	DotA 2	PC	12	5 v 5
	Clash Royale	Mobile	12	1 v 1
	League of Legends	PC	12	5 v 5
	Mobile Legends: Bang Bang	Mobile	12	5 v 5
Fighting	Tekken 7	Console	16	1 v 1
	Street Fighter V	Console	12	1 v 1
Card	HearthStone	Various	7	1 v 1

Tournament Structure:

As per the MSSA's rules, being:

• If less than six teams, the championship shall be a Round Robin Championship
• If 6 to 10 teams enter the championship there shall be four rounds as played to the Swiss System
• If 11 or more teams enter the championship there shall be five rounds as played to the Swiss System

Eligibility:

• Any team consisting of players who are Registered Players affiliated to a MSSA member club may enter.

Entries:

• Entry is R100.00 per Registered Player.
• Only fully-paid-up Registered Players may participate in this event.
• Entries must be submitted by 30 November 2022.
• To enter, the club must complete the Google Drive document. 
• The entry form may be found on Google Drive. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_ERR6815uVjSMu4t5KkRxYqGJ_AA88kkz31qRgksASc/edit#gid=287696184
• Clubs are to download the entry form, completed the downloaded form, and e-mail it to Mind Sports South Africa. 

Medals:

Medals shall be handed over to winners at the next MSSA LAN that they attend. 

      MALE:

• PREMIER: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams.
• UNDER 24: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams that have not won a Premier medal and which are comprised entirely of students currently registered at any officially recognized University.
• SCHOLARS: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams of learners currently registered at any officially recognized school, provided they have not received any Premier medals. 

        FEMALE:

• PREMIER: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams.
• UNDER 24: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams that have not won a Premier medal and which are comprised entirely of students currently registered at any officially recognized University.
• SCHOLARS: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams of learners currently registered at any officially recognized school, provided they have not received any Premier medals.

Colours:

• Protea Colours: Only Players that are selected to represent South Africa in International Championships may earn National Colours if the Protea Colours Board's criteria are met.
• National Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a National Championship will earn National Colours.
• Provincial Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a Provincial Championship will earn Provincial Colours. All Players who score within the top 50% in a specific Period at a Provincial Championship, and who also score within the top 50% at a National Championship in the same period and in the same year, will earn Provincial Colours.

General:

• The championship shall be played on: 4 December 2021
• The first round will start at 10H00. Players shall be given 60 minutes to complete each round.
• The championship is accredited as being of the same status as a provincial championship. 
• The championship shall be used for the awarding of provincial colours;
• The championship shall be used for the awarding of medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in Premier, Under 24, and School categories;
• The championship shall be used for the ability to qualify for National Team Squad.
• All medals shall be awarded to the recipients at a MSSA LAN championships.

Umpires:

• Umpires may only be contacted over Skype on the day of competition. Any communication not on the Skype channel shall not be entered into.

Ladder:

• All games shall count towards the National Ladder.

Shout casting:

• MSSA shall decide who may shout-cast the games.
• Anybody wishing to be appointed as a Shout-Caster must apply in writing to
• mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com

Additional reading:

• 2022 Calendar of Events
• 2023 Calendar of Events
• Affiliation: Private Clubs
• Affiliation - School
• Annual General Meeting: Make your voice heard - get your nomination in.
• Awards: Nominations required by 31 August 2022 for MSSA's Management Board Awards.'
• Competition: Revamp of livery - submit your design,
• Events: South African National Online Esports Championships - 3 December 2022.
• GEF: MSSA selects its Team Manager for SAREC
• IDF: MSO Grand Prix 2022
• IESF: African Regional Championships
• IESF: All revved up and ready to go.
• IESF: Bali Confirmed as Host of the 2022 World Esports Championships Finals
• IESF: Charl triumphs at the South African Qualifiers for the MONACO SIM RACING WORLD CUP 2022
• IESF: I told you we would win...
• IESF: IESF advises the prize money distribution for Bali 2022
• 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
• IESF: South Africa to take on Namibia in PUBGM
• International events: And they are off...
• International events: Excitement builds before selection of SA esports team to compete in Russia.
• international events: MSSA invited to send U20 esports team to Malawi.
• International events: MSSA selects its SA Student team to journey to Russia
• International events: Serbia posts its best team.
• International events:  South Africa to battle against Serbia and Russia
• International events: Team Esports SA has landed.
• International events: The return of Team Esports South Africa
• International event: Trip to Malawi...
• Ladder: Clash Royale
• National Team Trials: 30 July 2022
• Notices: Calling all volunteers
• Notices - Advertise your club
• Notices: Learners may play for both private and school clubs
• Notices: MSSA advises of its affiliation and registration fees for the 2022/2023 season.
• Notices: National Team Manager needed for Malawi.
• Notices: Selecting esports titles to be played in MSSA Provincial and National Championships
• Notices: Student DOTA and CSGO teams off to Moscow, Russia with1,500,000 Rubles at stake.
• Notices: The Student's Representative
• Notices: To host events in 2023.
• Notices - Transfer season
• NWU Online School league: R65,000.00 in prizes for esports league
• NWU Online School league: Distribution of prizes to overall winners for 2022 NWU Online School League
• NWU  Online School League: For the first time, female learners shall earn pize money for esports.
  
• Nwu Online School League: Reallocation of prize money to the FIFA esports title.
• NWU Online School League: Six esports titles to receive share of R65,000.00 in 2022 NWU Online School League.
• NWU Online School League: Start of MSSA's NWU Online School League delayed to 1 August 2022.
• NWU Online School League: Top school to earn a  boost to its esport programme.
  
• Prize money: How MSSA treats prize-money.
• Protea Colours: Qualifying for Protea Colours 
• Rankings: South Africa's Top Ten esports schools
• Rankings: South Africa's Top Ten Premier Esports Clubs
• Results: 2022 Online Western Cape Championships
• Results: Combined Online Provincial Championships for Schools
• Results: Results: Gauteng Provincial Championships
  
• Results: NWU 13th Annual School League - 2022.
• Results: Tshwarelo Tshwane of Montanus Primary School earns National Primary School Colours for Primary School
• Titles: With immediate effect.
• Titles - esports: High School Championships
• Titles - esports: Premier Championships
• Titles - esports: Student Championship

How clubs offer to host official mind sports events.

Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club has hosted more MSSA events than any other affiliated club.

On 1 August 2020 Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) invited all members to suggest which events they want to see retained in the article "Getting ready for 2021".

Of course a number of member clubs have submitted their views, all of which are being collated and will be discussed by MSSA's Management Committee and the Board Gaming, Card Gaming, Esports and Wargames Boards of Control.

However, it is important to know how MSSA decides where each championship is held.

Regional Championships:

Regional Championships may be hosted by any member club. Even a club based in a different region may host a Regional Championship in an entirely different region should MSSA's Management Committee approve. Such was the case when the Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club hosted the eThekwini Regional Championship at the Durban Gaming Expo in July 2018. 

The rules for hosting an official Regional Championship may be found here.

Provincial Championships:

Provincial Championships rotate among the member clubs within any such province. Thus only clubs within KwaZulu Natal may host the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Championships. Through actively pursuing this policy, provincial championships are held in various venues which allow clubs to grow their support base and obtain media coverage. 

All online events are directly hosted by MSSA itself.

National Championships:

National Championships rotate among all interested member clubs based within South Africa.

As such the prestigious SA National Championships may be held in any city in South Africa. While some gamers may consider such to be inconvenient, it must be remembered that hosting the SA National Championships or the SA Schools' National Championships gives a huge boost to the host club. Such boost to the host club may be felt for many years afterwards in terms of increased membership, participation and media coverage.

However, to host any Regional, Provincial, and/or National Championship, the applicant member club must submit its application to host to the General Secretary by 1 November 2020.

Also read:

• Calendar of  Events: 2020
• Esports titles selected: MSSA's School Championships.
• Esports titles selected: MSSA's Student Championships
• Esports titles selected: MSSA's Premier Championships.
• Selecting esports titles to be played in MSSA Provincial and National Championships.
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Further increasing MSSA's footprint. (All about hosting Regional Championships)
• Affiliation: Schools
• Affiliation: Private clubs
• Selecting the national Protea teams for Mind Sports South Africa.

Learners get the best of both worlds.

Educator, Diana Barnard of Oakhill School, with the school's DotA 2 team. The school will be contesting the number one spot in the country at SA Nationals in December 2019.

There is no doubt that any sport that does not implement strong development programmes at school level, and does not enable schools to participate in every level of official championship and league, will eventually fail.

It is Mind Sports South Africa's opinion that only schools that participate in official esports structures prepare their learners for the real world, while those that do not, do their learners no favours in the long-run and only prepare them for disappointment, heartache, and failure.

Only learners that participate in official structures are able to:

• Earn Regional, Provincial, and/or National Colours,
• Officially represent South Africa,
• Earn Protea Colours,
• Have the chance or winning prize-money for his/her school, and
• Obtain bursaries to attend institutions of higher learning.

Not only that, but learners who play for a private club may be entered by a school club in an event exclusively for schools should such Registered Player be fully registered at such school as a learner and upon such school’s terms.
School clubs too are able to enter any Premier Provincial and National Championships. In all such Premier Provincial and National Championships, Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), has the provision for aawards for learners should such learners not win any of the Premier awards.
Thus any school team is able to play in MSSA's South African National Championships and contest the titles on offer against all the private clubs. In fact, it is most gratifying to see how many of the National titles are won by learners. Such victories further re-inforce MSSA's belief that te strength of all mind sports begins at schools.

Also read: 

• Closing date for booking accommodation at Fakkel School of Skills for SA Nationals in December 2019.
• Events for July until December 2019
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• National Federation Colours
• Earning Provincial Colours at S A National Championships.
• Any Registered Player may enter MSSA's S A National Championships.
• 2020 Calendar of Event
• How to affiliate a club to Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA).

Closing date for booking accommodation at Fakkel School of Skills fo SA Schools.

IESF banners proudly displayed in Fakkel School of Skills gaming lounge.

MSSA's S A Schools' National Championships

Please note that the closing date for the booking of accommodation at the hostel  is Friday 7 June 2018, which will have to include proof of payment, so that the hostel can plan the rooms accordingly.

To assist all member clubs, Fakkel School of Skills shall be providing accommodation as follows:

• Bed with bedding - R140.00 per person per night
• Breakfast with cereal - R60.00 per person per day

All those interested in taking advantage of the above are to contact the school on or before 7 June 2019.

To book, please e-mail Amanda (who is most helpful) at hostel@fakkelskool.co.za as soon as possible. In such e-mail it must be stated the number of meen, the number of women that require accommodation.Please telephone the school to see if there is accommodation available at (016) 976 0470.

Also read:

• Reminder: MSSA's Annual South African Schools National Championships - 15 & 16 June 2019
• Ensuring gender equity in esports.
• MSSA celebrates its women who have earned Protea Colours.
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• 2019 Calendar of Events
• Important notice: MSSA drops the esports title 'Fortnite' from its provincial and national events.

2016 S A National Championships

2015 S A National League of Legends Champions.

Just a quick bit of information regarding the Nationals.

Hoërskool Generaal Hertzog is kindly allowing use of their boarding school hostels for accommodation.

Unbelievably it works out at R150.00 per night which includes breakfast and dinner.

MSSA just needs to give Hoërskool Generaal Hertzog an indication of how many people will be staying and for how long. We also need to know how many boys and girls from the schools and the educators that will be supervising the learners.

Please advise Morizane Boyes on mozipan@hotmail.com 

She's the one

Elishia Retief after winning the 2015 IWF World Championships

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) has just released its latest seedings for the Ancients wargame.

The rankings have once again shown that Elishia Retief (of the Old Edwardian Wargames Club) has retained her position of being the top ranked woman in the games, but is ranked in third place overall.

When reviewing the top ten ranked players, there is a veritable who's who in South African (and even international) wargaming. There are three world champions (including Elishia Retief) and several players that have represented South Africa a number of times in the official Protea team.

It will be interesting to see the results of the SA National Championships to be played at HTS Witbank on 3 and 4 December 2016.

The rankings of the top ten players are:

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

SUPER LEAGUE – update 12 July 2016

Simphiwe Maphumulo (MSSA President) and Colin Webster

The Super League is an opportunity for wargamers, in the Senior Section, to battle each other for the honour to be crowned as the best player throughout the season. The top three players shall be awarded medals at the South African National Championships.

Those players that have qualified to participate in the National Team Trials, for the Senior Team, in the current and previous season (1 January to 31 December) are automatically entered into such league.

Points are awarded at provincial and national championships.

At provincial championships points are awarded as follows:

10 points for a win, 9 points for second, 8 points for third, 7 points for fourth, 6 points for fifth, 5 points for sixth, 4 points for seventh, 3 points for eighth, 2 points for ninth, 1 point for tenth. Each participating player who finishes after 10th position in a Provincial event shall also earn 1 point.

Participating players that umpire a Provincial Championship shall automatically receive 5 points.

At national championships points are awarded as follows:

20 points for a win, 19 points for second, 18 points for third, 17 points for fourth, 16 points for fifth, 15 points for sixth, 14 points for seventh, 13 points for eighth, 12 points for ninth, 11 points for tenth, 10 points for eleventh, 9 points for twelfth, 8 points for thirteenth, 7 points for fourteenth, 6 points for fifteenth, 5 points for sixteenth, 4 points for seventeenth, 3 points for eighteenth, 2 points for nineteenth, and 1 point for twentieth. Each participating player who finishes after 20th position in a National event shall also earn 1 point.

Participating players that umpire a National Championship shall automatically receive 10 points.

Current standings (as 12 July 2016):

Name	Club	total
Colin Webster	OE	25
Ewan Retief	OE	20
Terence Allright	OE	15
Jason Batzofin	STJ	10
Sean Barry	RP	9
Jacques Getzner	KMSC	9
Elishia Retief	OE	8

With the standings so close it is any ones call as to who will top the table in December. There are still four opportunities for players to participate this year:

Western Cape: 26 and 27 August

Eastern Cape: 24 and 25 September

Limpopo: 29 and 30 October

Nationals: 3 and 4 December

The next opportunity for players to better their standings is at Western Cape on the 26th and 27th of August.

Dust off you dice, sharpen your swords, spears, arrows and all other spiky things and get to the next tournament!