As Jace Naidoo prepares to leave the Presidency of Swimming South Africa

Jace Naidoo - President of Swimming South Africa

And so it seems as though the South African Sports Community will be saying goodbye to Jace Naidoo as President of Swimming South Africa.

Why?

Well, SASCOC has a clause in its Constitution (10.2.2) that does not allow ANY federation to allow Board Members to hold the same office for more than twelve (12) years.

As we all know, Jace was  elected into office in 2004.

Thus his 12 years of being president are up.

Of course this does not stop him from assuming a different position.

However, it is hard to go when you are on top, and just after the Rio Olympics too...

Certainly, the Jace I know, the Jace of high stature, impeccable ethics, solid moral grounding,  and virtue, will always comply to the rules - not like some other President's of sporting codes.

It will be interesting to  see the list of the candidates for the position at this year's AGM.

MSSA appoints Sheraaz Nunnian as Eastern Cape Provincial Director

We all remember Sheraaz Nunnian, who represented South Africa in the 2012 Clanbase Nation's Cup in Battlefield3, and who just has been co-opted by MSSA's Management Board to become MSSA's Eastern Cape Provincial Director.

Sheraaz Nunnian was born in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape and currently lives in East London.

Sheraaz has always loved gaming having started playing on consoles, but quickly moved over to personal computers (pc’s) as soon as he started playing competitively. It was in Battlefield 3 where his love for competitive gaming started.

Although Sheraaz now mostly just manages teams and play dota 2 for fun, Sheraaz wants to put back into the sport he loves. As far back as 2013, Sheraaz realised that gaming could offer so much more to those who were still at school.

Sheraaz feels that gaming needs a dynamic leader in the Eastern Cape. One which will take gaming to the schools and companies, one which will see that LANs are regularly hosted.

Sheraaz doesn’t want to see any talent wasted!

While talking to Sheraaz, I believe that MSSA has found the right man for the job, and even though Sheraaz is still an active member of FiB (under Anteria Gaming’s banner), he will do everything in his power to take eSports up to the next level in the Eastern Cape.

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!

Latest seedings for Ancients wargames

Garth Schoeman -Knights Mind Sports Club

Before the pairings for a MSSA championship are done, the umpire consults the latest seedings in order to pair off such players for in the first round of the tournament.

After the first round results are in all successive rounds are worked out using the Swiss draw system.

All results from a tournament are used to calculate the latest seedings.

The following are the seedings after the Mpumalanga Provincial Championships that were held on the 28^th and 29^th of May 2016.

Well done to Garth Schoeman who is currently the top seeded player since the South African Nationals which were held in December 2015.

Pos	Name of Player	year	Club	Points
1	Schoeman, Garth 02	15	KMSC	855,1
2	Barry, Sean 09	16	RPS	571,4
3	Batzofin, Jason	16	SJC	567,2
4	Retief, Elishia 14	16	OE	545,6
5	Webster, Colin 91	16	OE	493,1
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
11	Havenga, Duane	15	WAR	324,9
12	Beuken, Leopold	15	RPS	195,0
13	Hervey, Simon	15	PBHS	190,0
14	Louw, Adam	15	PBHS	155,1
15	Retief, Ewan 14	15	OE	154,1
16	Getzner, Jacques	16	KMSC	140,0
17	Odgers, Jodi	13	WITS	115,5
18	van Vuuren, Marius	15	WAR	107,9
19	Humphreys, Evan	13	PBHS	105,9
20	Bouwer, Natan	15	OE	100,0
21	Groenewald, Zenadia	15	WAR	100,0
22	Retief, Michael	16	OE	100,0
23	Schoeman, Alex	15	KMSC	81,6
24	Allwright, Terence	16	OE	80,0

Mind Sports South Africa’s youngest eSports athlete

Tshedza Masheleni

On the 25^th of June’16, Tshedza Masheleni became the youngest eSports athlete when he participated in MSSA’s Free State ProvincialChampionships held in Sasolburg at Fakkel School. 

At a mere six years of age, Tshedza was a big inspiration to the rest of the participants and officials. 

Tshedza's excitement was contagious. 

Being a big fan of Street Fighter V, Tshedza came third in the Primary School division. He received his bronze medal with pride after defeating some of his opponents. 

Mind Sports South Africa pride itself by being all inclusive when it comes to development. Being able to add value to the building blocks of a person, putting a smile of pride on someone’s face, giving hope, creating purpose and making a difference in a person’s life irrespective of age, gender or race makes it all worth the while. 

It all comes down to make an individual feel like a person who can be part of a living structure. Through the investment of Mind Sports South Africa, Tshedza Masheleni may become one of South Africa’s brightest minds and biggest stars in the next decade or two. 

We at MSSA are passionate about being agents of positive change. 

Leonard Loftus Vice President – Development
Mind Sports South Africa 

Results of KwaZulu Natal Championships

Gregory Haripersad winner of  four titles at the KZN Championnships

Driving into Maritzburg College, one is immediately struck by the sight of the imposing buildings which have been meticulously maintained. It is clear that there is a great sense of history, and yet the present has been carefully intertwined.

Thus there was no better place to hold MSSA’s 22ndKwaZulu Natal Championships on 9 & 10 July 2016

Seven clubs from four provinces participated in the event which enormously increased the level of competition and excitement.

With MSSA’s National Team Trials for 2016 having been done on 4 June 2016, the KZN Championships form part of the body of championships that count towards qualifying towards the 2017 National Team Trials. The 2017 National Team Trials shall be used to select South Africa's official Protea eSports Team to attend IeSF's 9th World Championships.

The KZN Championships too shall be used by the Provincial Director to select the new KZN Provincial Teams that shall officially represent KwaZulu Natal in the online inter-provincial test matches.

Of course, certain players deserve special mention…

In Checkers, Sonja Brown, of All Stars, Witbank, demonstrated to all that she is not to be trifled with. Having finished in 3^rd place at the 2015 SA Nationals, Sonja then finished in second place at the 2016 Gauteng Championships, tie first at the 2016 MpumulangaChampionships and undisputed champion at KwaZulu Natal.

Leonard Loftus, of Masters of eSports, Sasolburg, maintained his form by winning MORTAL KOMBAT™, and STREET FIGHTER V™.

However, the real star of the show was Gregory Haripersad, of Maritzburg College, who won the KZN title in no less than four games, being; Checkers, FIFA ‘16™, PES 2016™, TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT II™. In both Checkers and TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT™, Gregory won all the games that he played in order to earn KwaZulu Natal Colours.

The winners are:

Title	Name of player/team	Club	Colours awarded
Checkers – female	Sonja Brown	All Starts
Checkers	Gregory Haripersad	Maritzburg College	KZN Colours
CounterStrike: GO	Deadlock	Knights Mind Sports Club	KZN Colours
FIFA '16	Gregory Haripersad	Maritzburg College	already awarded
FIFA '16 – High School	Cameron Gold	Maritzburg College
FIFA '16 – Primary School	Joel van Wyk	Merchiston Prep.
HearthStone	Matthew Hoyle	Maritzburg College	KZN Colours
Mortal Kombat X	Leonard Loftus	MOeS
PES 2016 – female	Sydney Winkler	Eastwood Secondary	KZN Colours
PES 2016	Gregory Haripersad	Maritzburg College	already awarded
PES 2016 – High School	Jason Botha	Maritzburg College
Street Fighter V – female	Kiara Naiker	Saint Annes	KZN Colours
Street Fighter V	Leonard Loftus	MOeS
Tekken Tag Tournament II	Gregory Haripersad	Maritzburg College	already awarded

All the players who  have thus earned KZN Provincial Colours are:

Name of players	Team/Club	Province
Caleb Banks	Deadlock – Knights	KZN
Kieran Cullum	Deadlock – Knights	KZN
Samuel – Dean Green	Deadlock – Knights	KZN
Gregory Haripersad	Maritzburg College	KZN
Matthew Hoyle	Maritzburg College	KZN
Kiara Naiker	St Annes	KZN
Dustin Peacock	Deadlock – Knights	KZN
Stephen van Lennep	Deadlock – Knights	KZN
Learvene Winkler	Knights	KZN
Sydney Winkler	Eastwood	KZN