MSSA releases latest Street Fighter V rankings

Alasdair Donaldson of Knights Mind Sports Club

Alasdair Donaldson stormed into first place at MSSA's 34th Gauteng Championships which once again earned him Gauteng Provincial Colours. This is the third such time that Alasdair has earned provincial colours. The first was in 2012 when Alasdair earned Western Cape Provincial Colours, the second time was in 2015 when Alasdair again earned Western Cape Provincial Colours. The third time was at MSSA's 34th Gauteng Championships where he earned Gauteng provincial Colours.

It should be noted that Provincial Colours are awarded based on the province in which the gamer is resident.

Having earned Provincial Colours for the third time, should Alasdair be awarded Provincial colours again, Alasdair shall be awarded Provincial Honours and join a very small but elite group of gamers.

Such group includes gamers like Barry 'Anthrax' Louzada, Dr. David Vannucci, David 'bvd_russian' Webster, Robert 'PandaTank' Botha and the like.

The latest rankings shall be used in MSSA's Online Provincial Championships which shall be played on 22 April 2017.

The rankings are:

Pos	Name of Player	year	Club	Points
1	Alasdair Donaldson	17	Knights Mind Sports Club	156.4
2	Leone Loftus	17	Masters of eSport	140.6
3	Alex Esterhuizen	17	VexxedPhoenix	132
4	Doreen Els	17	Teutonic Mind Sports Club	120.9
5	Theunis van der Merwe	17	Curro Klerksdorp	118.5
6	Kaitlyn Creighton	17	Masters of eSport	116
7	Gawie Fick	17	Fakkel School	114
8	Baber Abbas	16	Tekken Guru	110
9	Chris Maree	16	Fakkel School	110
10	Jacobus Direko	16	Fakkel School	110
11	Jan Hendrik van Aswegan	16	Hoërskool Generaal Hertzog	110
12	Jason Botha	16	Maritzburg College	110
13	Joost Loftus	16	Fakkel School	110
14	Leonard Loftus	16	Fakkel School	110
15	Logan Ortner	16	Northcliff High	110
16	Masitetle Mukkothtshelwa	16	Masters of eSport	110
17	Mpho Ntsala	16	Fakkel School	110
18	Sibusiso Nabilevo	16	Fakkel School	110
19	Sune Van Der Merwe	16	HTS Witbank	110
20	Wynand Meiring	16	BNKR	110
21	Rioon Nelson	16	Hoërskool Generaal Hertzog	109.2
22	Nadine Swart	16	HTS Witbank	108.5
23	Coenie van Aswagen	16	Fakkel School	104.9
24	Joel van Wyk	16	Merchiston Prep.	104.5
25	Robyn Gertzen	17	Teutonic Mind Sports Club	104.5
26	Ayanda Khumalo	16	Fakkel School	100
27	Tshedza Mosheleni	16	Fakkel School	100
28	Kristen Cockeran	16	Fakkel School	99.8
29	Connor Chaplin	16	Northcliff High	95
30	Druv Kana	16	Northcliff High	95
31	Edgar Barnes	16	BNKR	95
32	Kiara Naiker	16	Saint Annes	95
33	Armandt Welgemoed	17	Curro Klerksdorp	90.8

Other rankings published by MSSA are:

• Senior Ancients Wargames
• Senior CounterStrike: GO
• Senior DotA 2
• Senior League of Legends
• Senior StarCraft II
• Senior Street Fighter V
• Schools CounterStrike: GO
• Schools DotA 2
• Schools League of Legends

League of Legends rankings released for Online Championships.

With MSSA's Online Provincial Championships which shall be played on 22 April 2017 only days away, MSSA has released the rankings to be used at such Online Championships.

MSSA's Online Provincial Championships count towards qualification for National Team Trials. At time of writing this article, should the reader refer to the 2017 Calendar of Events, there is only one championship after MSSA's Online Provincial Championships in which teams may qualify. 

Teams that as yet do not have a ranking shall be deemed to have 100 ranking points.

The latest League of Legends rankings are:

Pos	Name of Player	year	Club	Points
1	Fuzz Logic	16	VexxedPhoenix	210
2	Fuga Dracones	17	Hoërskool Wonderboom	209.3
3	Eternal	17	VexxedPhoenix	184.7
4	Dark	17	VexxedPhoenix	175.2
5	St Stithians	17	St Stithians	153.9
6	First team	16	Tuks Mind Sports Club	145
7	Team Vapor	16	Sasolburg High	145
8	Gryphons	16	Knights Mind Sports Club	145
9	Knights	15	Knights Mind Sports Club	145
10	White Rabbit Gaming	16	White Rabbit Gaming	145
11	St Conrads	16	Curro Klerksdorp	145
12	Gen Nightwalkers	17	Generation X	134.7
13	Silver and Friends	16	WOERIES	124.5
14	Dota 4 Lyf	16	Northcliff High	113.4
15	Pride	17	Parktown Boys	113.4
16	PR0NHS	17	Northcliff High	111.6
17	STS 1	16	St Stithians	105
18	lofdal	16	Lofdal	100
19	Team Elusium	17	Hoërskool Wonderboom	100
20	Virtual Desire Gaming	17	Hoërskool Wonderboom	100
21	CCS Shadow Hunters	16	Crawford Sandton	97.5
22	Second team	15	Tuks Mind Sports Club	80
23	Fairmont	15	Fairmont High School	75
24	BISH	16	BISH	75
25	K1IIJOYS	16	Hoërskool Generaal Hertzog	45

Other rankings published by MSSA are:

• Senior Ancients Wargames
• Senior CounterStrike: GO
• Senior DotA 2
• Senior League of Legends
• Senior StarCraft II
• Schools CounterStrike: GO
• Schools DotA 2
• Schools League of Legends

MSSA, the largest member based gaming organisation in South Africa

Gamers in action at MSSA's 21st North West Championship hosted by Curro Klerksdorp.

A well run championships can make an organisation.

Over the years, MSSA has seen most of its championships grow from strength-to-strength.

The reason for continued and sustainable growth is:

• A belief by the volunteers in the value of what they are doing,
• Selfless dedication by the volunteers, 
• Commitment to the sport based on serving individuals, and not making a financial profit,
• Solid administration by both the federation and its member clubs, and
• A strong foothold across the country.

Even though MSSA understands that some of its LAN championships wi9ll never be as popular as others due to being held in more remote areas, MSSA remains dedicated to promoting gaming throughout the country.

This is evident as MSSA continues to push to increase its footprint in all 9 provinces and in all 56 regions.

The LAN championships held in the more remote areas do not make a financial profit, and while many of such championships make a financial loss, the benefit afforded to gamers is priceless.

The policy of MSSA increasing its footprint has many benefits, a few of which are:

• Increasing the number of clubs around the country,
• Enhancing the competitiveness of all esports athletes - no matter where they live, and
• Enabling a greater number of esports athletes to qualify for the prestigious http://esportscommentator.blogspot.co.za/2016/12/qualifying-for-protea-colours.html.

By actively promoting the policy of increasing its footprint, MSSA shows a year-on-year growth in terms of both the number of clubs and the number of players to make it the largest member based gaming organisation in South Africa.

Such growth is also responsible for South Africa to be ranked 14th in the World by International eSports Federation.

Johan Uys attains national umpire status.

Johan Uys.

Johan Uys served as the South African Protea eSports Team's coach in 2015, and thus had the privilege of attending IeSF's 7th World Championships in Seoul, South Korea.

Seeing a world championships at such close quarters, Johan saw thee opportunities and possibilities that were being  afforded to every team member.

Thus it was at IeSF's 7th World Championships that Johan made the conscious decision to attempt to get into the 2016 team - not as the coach, but as a player.

Such was Johan's determination and perseverance, the Johan Uys (of Tuks Mind Sports Club) successfully made the transition from technical official to player.

It was therefore n surprise too anyone that Johan made the 'cut' to be included in the 2016 Protea eSports Team which attended IeSF's 8th World Championships that were held in Jakarta in Indonesia.

Johan too remains that rare breed of  person who believes in 'putting back'. As a result, the wider gaming community benefits from his experience.

It is because of his belief structure that Johan volunteers to umpire. As a result of his selfless approach, Johan Uys too now has qualified to be a national umpire along with fellow team-mate Johan van Breda and Esmari Swart.