FIFA '18 - Learners who have qualified for National Team Trials.

Mikhyle Naidoo of Northcliff High School.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) first introduced the esports title of FIFA in 2005, and such title has been included in every year since then. Participation in MSSA's 8th Online Inter-School Championships held on 10 February 2018 showed solid growth in this title and delivered good results.

Five players in MSSA's 8th Online Inter-School Championships all earned their berths in MSSA's 2018 National Team Trials.

FIFA was played at IESF's 2009, 2010, and 2011 World Championships (Taebaek, Daegu, and Andong), and MSSA sent players in all three years to represent South Africa. MSSAhas too sent nationnal teams to Windhoek, Namibia, as well as having competed online against Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Namibia.

The criteria to qualify for such trials all Registered Players that win a Regional Championship shall earn an invitation to National Team Trials.

Also, all Registered Players that score within the top 20% or top three places, whichever is greater, in a specific Period at a Provincial or National Championship shall earn an invitation to National Team Trials.

It should be remembered that members of the current Protea Squad automatically earn a berth at the National Team Trials (NTT) should they have met their obligations in terms of participation at MSSA events.

The learners that earned such an invite for the FIFA esports title are:

Name of player	School	Period	Province
Yorke Soni	Northcliff High School	FIFA ‘18	Gauteng
Joshua Williams	Northcliff High School	FIFA ‘18	Gauteng
Mikhyle Naidoo	Northcliff High School	FIFA ‘18	Gauteng
Nic Papavasilopoulos	Parklands College	FIFA ‘18	Western Cape
Irfaan Sabat	Empangeni High School	FIFA ‘18	KwaZulu Natal

Other Registered Players that have earned a berth at MSSA's 2018 National Team Trials (NTT) are:

• CounterStrike: GO - 8th Online Inter-School Championships
• DotA 2 - 8th Online Inter-School Championships
• FIFA - 8th Online Inter-School Championships
• Hearthstone - 8th Online Inter-School Championships
• League of Legends - 8th Online Inter-School Championships
• Vainglory - 8th Online Inter-School Championships
• Tekken - 8th Online Inter-School Championships

Confederation of African eSports -CAeS

The Confederation of African eSports (CAeS) was founded in 2013.

Under the  Presidency of  Mohammed Saad (of Egypt), the confederation has grown from just three countries to represent six countries.

The six countries are Egypt, Ghana, Namibia,  South Africa, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe.

There are also none other than another three countries in the process of applying for affiliation.

But what is the purpose of having such a confederation?

The most  important feature is that  the confederation is a non-profit association, so as such, it could one  day be admitted  into membership of ANOC.

More than that, as a non-profit association, it  is not owned by anyone. Thus what it does is for the benefit of the sport and not for any one person's profit.

The confederation too is able  to mobilise support for esports throughout the African continent, and develop Africa's vast untapped potential.

Ghana has an eSports federation!

First there was South Africa, then Namibia, which was quickly followed by Egypt, Zimbabwe, and Tunisia that created National eSports Federations.

However, now there is Ghana under the leadership of the ever energetic Ebenezer Kwesi Hayford.

The Ghanaian eSports Association, which is only one-year old and based in the city of Accra, has already successfully applied for membership of the Confederation of African eSports (CAeS) and is hoping to be accepted into membership of the International eSports Federation (IeSF) later this year.

With the inclusion of Ghana into CAeS, eSports takes another  step forward to be included in the All African Games and further helps create a greater awareness of  eSports as a fully accredited sport among African states.

The addition of yet another African State will also further help Africa compete on a wider international level.

Capetonian challenges National Champion

Andrew Reeve

The MWEB South African National Championships to be held at HTS Witbank on 12 & 13 December 2015 will see a clash in the FIFA '15 discipline of titanic proportions.

Of course the three time MSSA SA National Champion, from Witbank, Kyle Turnbull will be there to defend his title. Kyle is not only the SA National Champion, but is also currently in both the Senior and Junior teams for such title and has participated in test matches against Austria and Zimbabwe.

However, this year the current Western Cape Provincial Champion, Andrew Reeve (from Fairmont High School) will be challenging Kyle for the position of S A National Champion.

Without doubt, it will be an exciting championship.

Kyle Turnbull

Kyle Turnbull wins!

Kyle Turnbull having received his Protea Colours

We are all aware that Kyle Turnbull, from HTS Witbank, is without doubt the best FIFA eSports gamer in South Africa as he has been crowned the SA National Champion twice in as many years.

However, with his impending international test match as the newest member of the MWEB Protea eSports Team, a certain degree of nervousness flickered among all gamers as they saw the list of impressive credentials exhibited by his Zimbabwean opponent.

Rowen Phiri was a veteran international player, and a professional to boot!

Nevertheless, Kyle remained upbeat about the test match and showed remarkable focus.

After the customary award ceremony whereat Kyle Turnbull was awarded his Protea Colours, the games began.

The seamless internet connection at the The Mana Pool 41 Duncan Street, corner of Mandela and Duncan Street, Witbank, Mpumalanga ensured that the on-line test match was without fault.

The first game started slowly with each gamer testing every aspect of each other's play. At half-time the score was thus only 0 – 0. However, after half time Kyle swung into action and dominated possession. Seven shots were made on goal before Kyle scored. The assembled audience rose as won in delight!

Kyle maintained the pressure, but was able to score.

Thus the first game was a victory to Kyle and South Africa.

Kyle between games

In the second game, a more confident Kyle showed no quarter.

Kyle shot out like a stampeding bull and, in quick succession, slammed four goals in before Rowen had time to retaliate with a goal of his own.

Kyle the slammed in yet another goal to win the second game of the test match by 5 goals to 1.

Thus South Africa proudly won the first eSports Test Match ever against Zimbabwe.

Nevertheless, the sportsmanship shown by Rowen Phiri was exemplorary. Rowen too has vowed to reverse the score in the next test match.

Kyle Turnbull has thus made his mark not only in gaming in South Africa, but is slowly climbing the ladder in international gaming.

It will now be interesting to see who his next opponent will be….

SA vs ZIM in FIFA '15

Already many gamers, members of the sporting fraternity and the media are aware that on the 18^th of April 2015 South Africa's MWEB Protea Team member for FIFA '15 will be playing an on-line Test Match against Zimbabwe.

While South Africa's Kyle Turnbull is known to South African gamers of substance, few South Africans know of the gamer against whom Kyle will be pitting his wits

The Zimbabwean, Rowen Phiri "izscube" started competitive gaming by playing Need For Speed and PC

Fifa for various teams in Zimbabwe.

Rowen is the first Zimbabwean player to reach Grandmaster rankings in the start of 2015, He went on to represent Zimbabwe at the IZS National Combined after being one of the first four players to qualify for the event.

In 2013 represented Zimbabwe where he finished in the quarter-finals.

During November 2012 to January 2014, Rowen Phiri spent time training in the local academy.

Rowen Phiri was signed as a full-time player to Individual Zone Solutions in the beginning of 2013 and continues to play full-time.

There is no doubt that Zimbabwe has not left any stone unturned for this match as the two gamers face off against each other.

The venues to be used are:

South Africa	Zimbabwe
The Mana Pool 41 Duncan Street, corner of Mandela and Duncan Street, Witbank, Mpumalanga. Contact details for the venue: https://www.facebook.com/bnkrgaming	Living Waters, located on the corner of Eland Resturant Beitbridge .Contact details for the venue:https://www.facebook.com/individualzone?fref=ts Individual Zone Solutions P/L

The test match will start at 19H00.

South Africa to take on Zimbabwe in FIFA '15

Kyle Turnbull with Simphiwe Maphumulo

Kyle Turnbull of Witbank made news when he defeated Protea team member Abubakar Ebrahim Akhalwaya at the 2013 Mpumulanga provincial championships to become South Africa's youngest provincial champion for the FIFA title.

Since then Kyle Turnbull has won the 2014 Mpumulanga Championships and the 2013 and 2014 South African National Championships to become the undisputed South African National Champion.18 April 2015 will see the first ever official on-line test match take place between South Africa and Zimbabwe for FIFA '15.

The match will be played between MWEB Protea Team player, Kyle Turnbull, and the Zimbabwe Mind Sport Union's top player.

The venue from which Kyle will take on his Zimbabwean counterpart is the Mana Pool which is located on the corner of OR Tambo and Duncan Street number 41 Witbank, Mpumalanga.Contact details for the venue: https://www.facebook.com/bnkrgaming