Registration for MSSA's Gauteng level 1 umpire's course - 18 March 2023.

Armand van der Colf, 2022 Protea Esports Team - CSGO, has completed the Umpire's Course. 

For all those Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) member clubs that wish to send delegates to MSSA's Gauteng level 1 umpire's course to be held on 18 March 2023, such clubs need to download the Registration Form, complete such, and submit the completed form to mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com.

The registration form may be found at:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Zgo7UoLjiErQBWNHcwHKn8oKvhBsBBJgSuLjC1hDRbY/edit#gid=0

Details of MSSA's Gauteng level 1 umpire's course are as follows:

Date: 18 March 2023
Time: 10H00 - 17H00
Cost: R330.00 per person
Venue: Online
Date by which registration must be submitted: 17 March 2023.

The course shall include:

• Ethics
• Background to MSSA's systems
• Roles of the different umpires
• Dealing with queries
• Entry
• Pairings
• Data capturing of results
• How results are further used

At the end, a test will be given, and those that pass will be accredited as level 1 umpires.

Any Registered Player who is 18 or older may register for such course through their member club.

Additional reading:

• 2023 Calendar of Events
• Affiliation: Private Clubs
• Affiliation - School
• Events: 12th Online Inter-school Provincial Championships - 4 March 2023
• Event: 2023 Gauteng Online Championships to be held on 11 March 2023.
• GEF - The Road to Riyadh2023
• IESF: IESF has announced the slots for 15th World Championships to be held  in Lasi, Romania.
• IESF: Titles entered
• IESF: National Team Trials - 25 March 2023
• Phygital Gaming: Kazan to host Phygital Games
• Results: 2023 Northern Cape Online Championships
• Results: 2023 Western Cape Online Championships held on 25 February 2023.
• Results: 12th Online Inter-school Provincial Championships - 4 March 2023
• Results: 2023 Gauteng Online Championships held on 11 March 2023.
• Selection: Calling all female esports athletes.
• Selection: Passports are required.
• Titles - esports: Premier Championships
• Titles - esports: Student Championships
• Umpire Course - 18 February 2023
• Umpires course - 18 March 2023

Call for candidates for IESF's Referee Course.

Johan van Breda (ZAG Academy) in action at MSSA's National Championships.

International Esports Federation (IESF) has a vision to standardise esports and its ecosystem in which it finds itself. As such IESF established an ‘International Referee system’. Supported by 

Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency (BIPA), IESF has achieved great  strides in this arena and has been able to, as a result, add value to esports championships world-wide.

In 2016 Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) candidate (Thomas Brown)  participated in the first international referee workshop in Yinchuan on 12 May 2016. Thomas went on to be the first South African to referee a major esports event in Beijing in the Olympic Tennis Stadium.

Thus International Esports Federation (IESF) have requested its member federations to submit candidates for its 2020 Referee Training Course to be held from 24 to 28 February 2020 in Busan, Korea.

The curriculum has been developed by IESF together with game publishers in an effort to ensure that it meets the highest standards. 

Candidates for IESF’s International Esports Referee program are nominated by member federations until Wednesday, February 12^th (KST).  Successful candidates will be announced on Friday, February 14^th (KST) by IESF.

Thus all Registered Players who are currently qualified as MSSA umpires who are willing to be considered for selection must provide the following to the Board by 10 February 2020:

1. Number of national championships refereed by the candidate, and
2. Proficiency in English

For more information, please contact mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com

Also read:

• Ensuring gender equity in esports.
• MSSA celebrates its women who have earned Protea Colours.
• 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
• MSSA to nominate candidates for IESF's International Referee Workshop.

Good turnout at Gauteng level 1 umpire's course.

All the successful participants of MSSA's Gauteng level 1 umpire's course.

There is no doubt that in order for the standard of gaming to improve, all the support services attached to the industry need to also be improved upon.

Thus Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), pays particular atttention to the standard of umpiring, and has done so since its inception in 1985.

MSSA's umpires, as as MSSA President Amanda Kwaza, claims, MSSA's front line, for it is the umpires that deal face-to-face with the competitive athletes at a competition, and often have to deal with the press and team management.

Much falls on the broad shoulders of the umpires, making there herculean efforts of great importance and making the umpires a vital cog in the growth of MSSA's activities.

Not only did the Gauteng Level 1 course see an increase in the total numbers attend, but it also saw the number of clubs, and the number of women increase. There were even participants from Botswana and Zimbabwe.

MSSA's umpire's courses are the oldest established such courses among all of IESF's member national federations, and MSSA has had a system in place for accrediting umpires since 1988.

With the increase of participation, it is clear that MSSA is continuing with solid sustainable growth, and will be ablee to deliver more-and-more to its member clubs, Registered Players, and the entire gaming community.

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.
• MSSA's umpiring course - 25 January 2020.
• 28th OLD EDWARDIAN SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS - 1 & 2 February 2020
• The road to Eilat

Registration for MSSA's Gauteng level 1 umpire's course - 25 January 2020.

Previous participants at MSSA's Gauteng Umpire's Course.

For all those Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) member clubs that wish to send delegates to MSSA's Gauteng level 1 umpire's course to be held on 25 January 2020, such clubs need to download the Registration Form, complete such, and submit the completed form to mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com.

The registration form may be found at:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Zgo7UoLjiErQBWNHcwHKn8oKvhBsBBJgSuLjC1hDRbY/edit#gid=0

Details of MSSA's Gauteng level 1 umpire's course are as follows:

Date: 25 January 2020
Time: 9H00 - 18H00
Cost: R331.00 per person
Venue: Old Edwardian Society, 9 11th Avenue, Lower Houghton, Johannesburg
Date by which registration must be submitted: 20 January 2020

The cost will include morning and afternoon tea, and lunch.

The course shall include:

• Ethics
• Background to MSSA's systems
• Roles of the different umpires
• Entry
• Pairings
• Data capturing of results
• How results are further used

At the end, a test will be given, and those that pass will be accredited as level 1 umpires.

Any Registered Player who is 18 or older may register for such course through their member club.

Also read:

• 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
• MSSA's umpiring course - 25 January 2020.
• The road to Eilat

IESF's Lastest Referee Workshop has just concluded.

Participants were (from left to right): Leopold Chung, Colin Webster, Markus Koskivirta, Sungwon Lee, Meysam Hosseini, Seonghee Sinnara Bae, Stanley Tjia, Imy Park

International Esports Federation (IESF) has just concluded yet another workshop held by its Referee Commission. Such workshop is part of the process of developing a comprehensive referee course designed for training referees for use at both national and international levels.

The course too is part of IESF’s endeavours to regulate esports and to create an environment that will benefit all esports athletes.

However, it should be noted, that it is through the continued support from Busan Metropolitan City, and Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency (BIPA), the success of this worthwhile project. is ensured.

Through a formal accreditation process for referees, IESF’s referees’ course, and referees themselves shall set new standards and shall be in the forefront of raising esports to even greater heights.

IESF President, Colin Webster, stated, “In my opinion, referees are the front-line of all our member federations. As such, IESF is committed to capacitate such referees to the best of its ability so that such referees will help ensure the long-term growth and sustainability of esports.” It should be noted that Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) has participated in this process from the very beginning, and as Amanda Kwaza (MSSA President) has stated, "MSSA hopes to see many South Africans benefit from the internationally structured referees' course".

Also read:

• MSSA to nominate candidates for IESF's International Referee Workshop.

• The IeSF's Referee course is under way!

• Thomas Brown to referee at WCA

Stepping up to the challenge.

Adele Janse van Rensburg

There is no doubt that the position of the Vice-President who is in charge of umpiring is one of the most important positions within Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA).

Without having umpires at each and every event, events just can not happen as without due and following proper process, things fall apart.

Thus with the sudden resignation of Jessie Joubert, Adele Janse van Rensburg quickly rose to the occasion.

Adele, in spite of  her other responsibilities, reached out and has also taken on the duties of appointing, and reviewing umpire's reports, as well as  liaising with IeSF's Referees' Commission.

Adele herself has a great  deal of experience in umpiring., and is thus more than aware of what MSSA expects from its  umpires in order to deliver Regional, Provincial and National Championships.

Adele is living  proof that if you want a job done, give  it to a woman, and MSSA is very grateful to have her onboard.

CBDEL - at Casa Brazil in the Olympic village

CBDEL's stand next to the Brazilian department of sport in Casa Brazil in the Olympic village

The Confederação Brasileira do Desporto Eletrônico (CBDEL) fully understands the importance  off working with all stakeholders.

CBDEL continually interacts with government, the Brazilian Olympic Committee, its membership  and the public.

Thus CBDEL,  through the  kind offices of the Brazilian department of sport, were allowed to man a stand within Casa Brazil in the Olympic village.

During the Olympic Games, interest in eSports was outstanding, and the CBDEL officials were swamped with interest.

Young Leonardo Ribas, who was recently selected to represent Brazil on IeSF's Athlete's Commission) and Kathleen Rossi Cossi (who, in May 2016 earned IeSf's International Referee accreditation) were both there helping the other committed athletes  explain, encourage and demonstrate esports to fascinated crowds of other athletes and members of the public.

Wherever you looked in the stand IeSF's logo and branding is clearly visible.

The pride that CBDEL has of its affiliation to IeSF is palpable.

The long-term benefits of the stand in Casa Brazil are hard to predict, but one thing is certain, eSports is in very good hands in Brazil.