Esports South Africa, and other games : World Cyber Games

Showing posts with label World Cyber Games. Show all posts

Tuesday, 2 February 2021

Trailblazers: Michelle Marder

On a clear Monday afternoon in September 2010, Michelle Marder of Bedfordview smashed the record books as she boldly broke into yet another “bastion “of male “privilege.

Esports (or better known as computer gaming) had long been considered to be a male preserve. All the top gamers are predominately male and women are few in number in this sport.

Even though esports are growing in leaps and bounds , with membership growing monthly, and sales of esports paraphernalia outstripping the combined sales of all other traditional sports, women still are under represented in all levels of the sport.

The MSSA has taken the call of ensuring that all are given equal opportunity, but it is thanks to the exceptional that real change can be effected in a real and sustainable manner.

Michelle is one such exceptional person, Michelle's dedication to esports ensured that the game of GUITAR HERO™ was played at every single MSSA provincial and national LAN championship in 2010. Such dedication ensured that the sponsor (SAMSUNG) received ample nationwide coverage and enabled gamers from around the country to participate.

Thus in gratitude to Michelle's sterling efforts, MSSA rewarded Michelle by granting her the title of Team Manager of the team that represented South Africa at the 2010 World Cyber Games that was held in Los Angeles, USA from 29 September 2010 to 3 October 2010.

Michelle is thus the first female to rise to the position of being a National Team Manager for a Protea Esports Team, if not the first female in the world to become a National Team Manager for an Esports team, which allowed others to build on her success.

There is no doubt, that under Michelle's care, that the South African team will perform well.

Friday, 26 June 2020

IESF LAUNCHES WORLD ESPORTS LEAGUE

International Esports Federation (IESF) announced on Friday, 26 June 2020 plans to launch the World Super League (WSL), which will be run alongside its annual Esports World Championship.

IESF has entered into an MOU with Technoblood Inc. to host and operate WSL to ensure the success of WSL,in which Technoblood will take responsibility for hosting and operating WSL in coordination with the Member Nations of IESF.

Technoblood has been closely associated with Esports since its earliest days and has been a pioneer in managing Esport events, starting with its hosting of World Cyber Games (WCG) in 2002. IESF chose Technoblood as its partner for its expertise and experience in hosting and managing Esports events for 20 years.

IESF will promote and provide support for WSL by its national Esports member federations.

The newly launched WSL will host its first international competition in 2021 and expects active participation by national federations as well as Esports enthusiasts around the world.

WSL will be the tournament and festival where all the best Esports players in the world gather to compete.

WSL is aiming to be one of the biggest tournaments in the world providing the stage for exciting competitions among the top Esports players in the world.

Each participating country will select the most popular titles in each country and host national leagues for each event throughout the year. Once a year, players representing their own nations with the best results in each event will gather to WSL where the finals will be held.

The representatives from each country will meet once a year to participate in a battle of national teams to determine the top global team for each event.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) was there at the first IESF World Championship in 2009, and as the only member of IESF that has sent a team to participate in every single title that has been held at all such IESF World Championships, intends to participate to the full.

Amanda Pakade, MSSA President, stated, "The World Super League is just another example of how IESF is growing from year-to-year and providing for its member federations."

International Esports Federation (IESF) is a non-profit organization founded in 2008 that consistently works to promote Esports as a true sport beyond barriers. IESF is composed of more than 70 member national federations across all continents, organizes annual World Championships and strives to ensure the synergy between stakeholders. IESF is a WADA Signatory since 2013. Key IESF activities include the IESF World Championships, the IESF General Assembly uniting all National Federations and the Global Esports Executive Summits.
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Thursday, 13 July 2017

The process of being selected to represent South Africa in esports.

MSSA's Protea Esports Team that attended IeSF's 8th World Championships - Jakarta.

The process of being selected to officially represent South Africa in esports has not changed for many a year.

Ever since Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) first sent a team across to officially represent South Africa in 2005 at the World Cyber Games, the actual process has remained much the same. Of course there have been refinements over the years due to good governance. Thus the process to get into the Protea Team to attend IeSF's 9th World Championships - Busan is much the same.

The best way to look at the process is perhaps in bullet form, being:

Become a Registered Player of an affiliated club,
Qualify for National Team Trials (NTT) at a Regional, Provincial, and/or National Championship (see the Calendar of Events),
Be selected after National Team Trials by MSSA.

Once a team member is selected, the first time that any announcement may be made of such selection is by MSSA itself.

A pre-emptive announcement of any selection that is still to be made may well jeopardise the chances of the Registered Player so standing for selection.

Protea Colours are only awarded to players who are selected to represent South Africa, and in order for such colours to be awarded there is much that is needed to be done by MSSA.

Sunday, 6 September 2015

Western Cape Provincial Team for FIFA '15 announced

It is generally accepted that the standard of play in EA's title FIFA '15 is of a high standard.

South Africa, through Mind Sports South Africa, has lead many forays into the international competitive scene since 2009. however, none more notable than in this year when in earlier this year, the South African National Team bravely took on Austria.

The South African Team all hails from Mpumulanga, and is also the team that carries the flag for such province.

However, the Western Cape has a team that they hope will defeat the team from Mpumalanga.

The team is headed by Fairmont learner Andrew Reeve, who is the Western Cape Champion. However, the team also draws on the experience of veteran players.

Godfrey Eybers of Ocean View is a dab hand a the game and has many years of experience in such title. His inclusion into the team is thus without question.

Then there is also Logan Brooke-Smith. Logan is the only South African to have won a World Championship title in eSports at the World Cyber Games. Logan brings international experience to the team to make the trio a formidable force.

The match between the Western Cape and Mpumulanga in the MWEB Online Inter-Provincial Test Match series will be most interesting indeed!

The members of the Western Cape Provincial FIFA '15 Team are:

NAME		CLUB	GAME
Reeve	Andrew	Fairmont High	FIFA '15
Eybers	Godfrey	Knights Mind Sports	FIFA '15
Brooke-Smith	Logan	Knights Mind Sports	FIFA '15

Saturday, 1 August 2015

Notice for National Team Trials

The MSSA has produced national teams for eSports every year since 2005.

Who can ever forget Logan Brooke-Smith winning at the 2005 World Cyber Games, WCG, in mobile games in 2005, or SK Gaming tour of South Africa in 2008 in both DotA and CS:1.6?

The loyal sponsorship by MWEB has also ensured that the MSSA could send teams to Bucharest (2013), Baku (2014), and to the IeSF's 7th World Championships in 2015.

However, there is a lot of work that goes into selecting a national team, as well as a great deal of compliance that needs to be met by the gamers, and by the federation.

Thus part of the compliance demands that members of the national eSports team must all be South African citizens, and must all meet the South African government's requirements for travel.

All gamers that qualify for National Team Trials must therefore please remember that they must have a valid passport at the date of the National Team Trials.

Gamers who have not yet reached the age of majority (that is, who are under the age of 18) also need to have their unabridged birth certificate by the time of National Team Trials.

Gamers who do not have such documentation at the date of the National Team trials, will not be considered for selection.

Gamers are therefore strongly advised to apply for such documentation as soon as they qualify for Trials!

Esports South Africa, and other games