Official schedule for IESF's 11th Esports World Championships.

Members are all gearing up for IESF's 11th Esports World Championships.

As time moves swiftly towards the advent of IESF's 11th Esports World Championships, teams from all 56 member national federations around the world prepare for action.

IEF’s World Championship’s started in 2009, and since then, IESF has hosted such esports World Championship every year. With IESF being a signatory of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 2013,  IESF has been operating doping control for every such championships. 

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) has been part of such World Championships since the inception of such. Such participation has benefitted the lives of all who have attended as members of South Africa's official Protea Esports Team.

All the South African athletes that have officially represented South Africa have done so with pride and honour. 

The official Schedule for 11^th Esports World Championships is as follows:

Date	WC Schedule	Remarks
Dec 11th, Wed	·         Official Fly-in	Incheon Airport-Official Hotel
	·         Orientation ·         Group Drawing	TBD
Dec 12th, Thurs	·         Opening Ceremony ·         1st Game Day	VSG Arena
Dec 13th, Fri	·         2nd Game Day	VSG Arena
	·         General Meeting	Shilla Stay Seocho
Dec 14th, Sat	·         3rd Game Day ·         Closing Ceremony	VSG Arena
Dec 15th, Sun	·         Official Fly-out	Official Hotel - Incheon Airport

Also read:

• NATIONAL PRIDE IS AT STAKE!
• Oakhill Schools' Blake Govender is off to Korea.
• Tekken 7 player selected for IESF’s 11th Esports World Championships.
• MSSA names its DOTA 2 team for 11th Esports World Championships.
• PES 2020 selected as an Official Title For 11TH ESPORTS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
• Tekken 7 selected as Official Game Title for 11th Esports World Championship
• IESF announces DOTA 2 as First Game Title for 11th Esports World Championship
• Mind Sports South Africa appoints Barry Bridges as its wellness consultant.
• Hotel Shilla Stay Yeoksam is the official hotel for IESF's 11th World Championships.
• IESF's logo for 11th Esports World Championship
• Seoul to be host city for 11th Esports World Championships
• 2019 Esports World Championship: December 11 to 15, 2019
• Who can stand for the position of National Team Manager?
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.

A survey for esports athletes who are 18 or older.

This is an official study by UKZN: https://forms.gle/xtrWTjMXajFxJEpv7

Mind Sports South Africa appoints Barry Bridges as its wellness consultant.

Barry Bridges is looking at helping raise South African esports to greater heights.

For sportspersons to excel in this  ever demanding world, talent alone is not enough. The athlete must have the full support of parents, coaches, administrators and other support staff if he or she is to attain victory in thhe most gruelling of circumstances.

The athlete too needs to take into account all of his or her needs, whether they be on a physical, mental and physiological level.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is ever mindful that it is possible to improve player welfare and thus performance. With such a belief in mind MSSA has appointed Mr. Barry Bridges as its online coach and wellness consultant. 

Barry Bridges (ZAG Academy) is a qualified sports scientist who holds international certifications in sleep science, sports performance, golf fitness, and FMS movement testing.  He is based in Cape Town, South Africa and has over 12 years of experience working with Golf fitness for professional golfers such as interprovincial, national and sunshine tour golfers. While Barry had focussed extensively on the golf industry he also has experience in working as a coach for strength and conditioning (soccer), corporate wellness, sleep coaching, and esports performance.

Barry will offer remote support for Team Esports South Africa at the IESF World Championship and other future events. He will offer support in various sectors in wellness such as sleep, nutrition, exercise and overall cognitive performance for players. Barry will help MSSA ensure that their players are mentally and physically ready for competition.

MSSA president, Amanda Pakade, is enthusiastic about his appointment and stated, "Barry's appointment will not only have immediate effects on the South African Esports Protea Team, but will also raise all South African esports to a new level."

Also read:

• NATIONAL PRIDE IS AT STAKE!
• Oakhill Schools' Blake Govender is off to Korea.
• Tekken 7 player selected for IESF’s 11th Esports World Championships.
• MSSA names its DOTA 2 team for 11th Esports World Championships.
• PES 2020 selected as an Official Title For 11TH ESPORTS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
• Tekken 7 selected as Official Game Title for 11th Esports World Championship
• IESF announces DOTA 2 as First Game Title for 11th Esports World Championship
• IESF's logo for 11th Esports World Championship
• Seoul to be host city for 11th Esports World Championships
• 2019 Esports World Championship: December 11 to 15, 2019
• Who can stand for the position of National Team Manager?
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.

Hotel Shilla Stay Yeoksam is the official hotel for IESF's 11th World Championships.

Hotel Shilla Stay Yeoksam in the Gangnam district finds itself in the very heart of Seoul's business, shopping, and culture.

The hotel will be the home for all the national teams attending International Esports Federation's 11th World Championships in Seoul from 11 to 15 December 2019.

It is in this hotel, resplendent with every amenity that an athlete could want, that Mind Sports South Africa's Protea Team will rub shoulders with the other teams. New friendships will be forged and the cameraderie  for which IESF's World Championships has become legendary will be further developed.

MSSA again is sending a full team to IESF's Championships, and is one of the few countries to have done so every year of its affiliation.

MSSA's commitment and dedication to its team is only dwarfed by the team's dedication to South Africa.

Also read:

• NATIONAL PRIDE IS AT STAKE!
• Oakhill Schools' Blake Govender is off to Korea.
• Tekken 7 player selected for IESF’s 11th Esports World Championships.
• MSSA names its DOTA 2 team for 11th Esports World Championships.
• PES 2020 selected as an Official Title For 11TH ESPORTS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
• Tekken 7 selected as Official Game Title for 11th Esports World Championship
• IESF announces DOTA 2 as First Game Title for 11th Esports World Championship
• IESF's logo for 11th Esports World Championship
• Seoul to be host city for 11th Esports World Championships
• 2019 Esports World Championship: December 11 to 15, 2019
• Who can stand for the position of National Team Manager?
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.

Learners get the best of both worlds.

Educator, Diana Barnard of Oakhill School, with the school's DotA 2 team. The school will be contesting the number one spot in the country at SA Nationals in December 2019.

There is no doubt that any sport that does not implement strong development programmes at school level, and does not enable schools to participate in every level of official championship and league, will eventually fail.

It is Mind Sports South Africa's opinion that only schools that participate in official esports structures prepare their learners for the real world, while those that do not, do their learners no favours in the long-run and only prepare them for disappointment, heartache, and failure.

Only learners that participate in official structures are able to:

• Earn Regional, Provincial, and/or National Colours,
• Officially represent South Africa,
• Earn Protea Colours,
• Have the chance or winning prize-money for his/her school, and
• Obtain bursaries to attend institutions of higher learning.

Not only that, but learners who play for a private club may be entered by a school club in an event exclusively for schools should such Registered Player be fully registered at such school as a learner and upon such school’s terms.
School clubs too are able to enter any Premier Provincial and National Championships. In all such Premier Provincial and National Championships, Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), has the provision for aawards for learners should such learners not win any of the Premier awards.
Thus any school team is able to play in MSSA's South African National Championships and contest the titles on offer against all the private clubs. In fact, it is most gratifying to see how many of the National titles are won by learners. Such victories further re-inforce MSSA's belief that te strength of all mind sports begins at schools.

Also read: 

• Closing date for booking accommodation at Fakkel School of Skills for SA Nationals in December 2019.
• Events for July until December 2019
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• National Federation Colours
• Earning Provincial Colours at S A National Championships.
• Any Registered Player may enter MSSA's S A National Championships.
• 2020 Calendar of Event
• How to affiliate a club to Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA).

How to affiliate a club to Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA).

MSSA has had number of schools and other interested people enquiring about the process and benefits associated with registering with Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA).

Mind Sports South Africa is the largest membership based gaming organisation in South Africa, and is also the official controlling body for Board games, Card games, Esports, Robotics, and Wargames. 

There are many advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club, such as:

1. Being part of a community where your club has a real say in how things are done
2. Being able to apply for National Lottery Funding – MSSA member clubs can apply for up to R800,000.00 in funding, 
3. Being able to get assistance from your local government,
4. Experience increased media exposure of your events and your gamers,
5. Become part of the international community through the MSSA Registered players are able to become internationally recognised umpires, etc.,
6. Being able to put your club's news up on MSSA's blog,
7. Enable your gamers to take part in MSSA events, which may qualify them for colours, overseas trips, and even sports bursaries at university.

How to affiliate a club

To affiliate a club is quite an easy affair, all you have to do is follow these easy steps:

1. Gather the people together that want to form the club. Please note that there needs to be at least three members, and
2. Hold a meeting at which you agree to start a club, and at which meeting you agree to the Constitution as well as who are the elected office-bearers of the club (all such decisions must be by consensus), and
3. Write up the minutes of your inaugural meeting, and
4. Send in the club’s Constitution and Application Form for Affiliation to the MSSA.

However, it should be noted that school clubs do not need their own constitution and only require the permission of the school's  principal.

Once the MSSA is in receipt of the Constitution and Application Form for Affiliation, the MSSA will go through the Constitution and (if acceptable) approve it at the next Management Board Meeting. Only once membership is approved, are fees due.

Fee note for the 2019/2020 year 

The fee note details the Affiliation Fees and Registration fees that are payable.

The fees for the 2019/2020 gaming year (1 November 2019 to 31 October 2020) are:

Affiliation fees per club		R104.00 per annum
Registration fees:	Registered with MSSA Players who are members of school clubs	R110.00 per player R10.00 per player

Every club must  have a Constitution  

In order for a club to be a legal entity, a club must have a Constitution and must have multiplicity of members (3 or more members). The Constitution tells how the club operates and must, to a certain extent mirror MSSA’s Constitution. The Constitution  of a club must have certain clauses in order to ensure that there are the necessary bonds between the MSSA and the club. Therefore, MSSA insists that the clauses, “Objectives”, “Title and Legal Personality”, “Dispute Resolution”, and “Dissolution” remain unchanged. However, the club may amend the other clauses. Once the applicant club is satisfied with their Constitution, the elected Chairperson must initial each page, and sign and date the last page and submit a copy to the MSSA.

Anyone who would like to obtain more documentation, as well as the necessary application forms to register or affiliate with the MSSA please contact MSSA directly on mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com 

Also read: 

• Closing date for booking accommodation at Fakkel School of Skills for SA Nationals in December 2019.
• Events for July until December 2019
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• National Federation Colours
• Earning Provincial Colours at S A National Championships.
• Any Registered Player may enter MSSA's S A National Championships.
• 2020 Calendar of Events

The importance of sport.

There are few moments in life that can rival carrying one's national flag into an  international event in front of thousands of spectators - Marisa van der Westhuizen at IESF's 10th World Championships - 2018.

While it is always nice to accumulated certificates, medals, and trophies, and sometimes even prize money, that is not the most important lesson that doing a sport teaches you.

Yes, it is important to excel, to compete, and to push oneself to do one's best, which, in my mind is what sport is all about.

Sport is about learning to:

• deal with all types of people (those with you agree and those with which you disagree), 
• becoming self-disciplined, 
• learning to focus on what is, and what is not important, 
• developing an inner strength that will help form character, and 
• learning to deal with structures and how to manipulate them.

It is like going to a swimming pool on a hot summer afternoon. On the one side there are lanes neatly stretched across the pool where swimmers train in a disciplined and organized manner. On the remaining two-thirds of the swimming pool, there are no lanes, and children splash around enjoying the summer afternoon.

But who is getting the most out of their time?

I would argue that those involved in the training session are as they are focussed on achieving their own  personal goals. The others are merely marking time and whiling away time in the pursuit of so-called fun.

However, it is  those that are involved in the process of being trained by a professional who will walk away with real life experiences with memories of accomplishment and cameraderie.

So too with esports. Those who treat esports as a sport are able to learn all those lessons that other sportspersons learn. Those who participate on a  recreational level, or outside of official structures, will grab fleeting moments of fun and in my opinion never achieve their true potential.

Official structires allow esports athletes to achieve honours (provincial and national colours) that athletes will take, and carry with them, for all of their lives.

Such accreditation has a  positive effect on the individual for as long as they live and helps create better citizens.

Also read: 

• Closing date for booking accommodation at Fakkel School of Skills for SA Nationals in December 2019.
• Events for July until December 2019
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• National Federation Colours
• Earning Provincial Colours at S A National Championships.
• Any Registered Player may enter MSSA's S A National Championships.
• 2020 Calendar of Events

ONLY ONE NOMINATION RECEIVED FOR IESF’S PRESIDENCY.

South Africa's Colin Webster (IESF President) presenting to ASSOCIATION OF SPORT PERFORMANCE CENTRES in Barcelona.

International Esports Federation (IESF) was formed in 2008, and in terms of its own Statutes
has never faltered in holding its Ordinary General Meetings on an annual basis. IESF has
always fully subscribed to good governance on every level, and every member national
federation has the opportunity to vote for the person who shall hold the position of president.

All those who have served as president are:

 Mr. Sin Bae Kim (2008 - 2010)
 Mr. Ki Haeng Cho (2010 – 2011)
 Mr. Jun Ho Kim (2011-2012)
 Mr. Hyung Hee Lee (2012 – 2013)
 Mr. Byung Hun Jun (2014 - 2018)
 Mr. Silviu Stroie (Acting President, 2018)
 Mr. Colin Webster (2019)

It should be noted that the President’s term is a three year term. Thus the election held in
2018 was just for a one year period due to the untimely resignation of Mr. Byung Hun Jun in
2018.

Thus, December 2019 shall see the election of a new President for IESF, although only one
nomination was received. The incumbent president, Mr. Colin Webster, is unopposed having
received more recommendations from member national federations than any previous
president.

Mr. Colin Webster has served on IESF’s Board since 2013 until 2018 as a Board Member,
and his continued presence on such Board will ensure a great deal of continuity in terms of
IESF pursuing its objectives in having esports welcomed into the sporting fraternity.

In South Africa, Colin Webster served as President of Mind Sports South Africa from 1985 to 2012. In 2012, Colin Webster was voted in as General Secretary, a position he still holds today. In all the years, Colin has been a loyal member of the Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club based at the Old  Edwardian Society.

Also read:

• THE NOMINEES FOR THE BOARD ARE IN:
• Tekken 7 player selected for IESF’s 11th Esports World Championships.
• NATIONAL PRIDE IS AT STAKE!
• Busan Metropolitan Government to cooperate actively in developing esports.
• GEES 2019 to be held in Busan, Korea, 29 to 31 August 2019
• ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO CONNECT WITH ESPORTS
• IESF announces DOTA 2 as First Game Title for 11th Esports World Championship
• 2019 Esports World Championship: December 11 to 15, 2019
• PES 2020 selected as an Official Title For 11TH ESPORTS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
• MSSA names its DOTA 2 team for 11th Esports World Championships.

NWU MSSA eSports

Watch out for these gamers.

FLTR: Miss Magdel Putter (Esport organiser), Rico Very (Monument Park High School), Amanda Kwaza (MSSA president), Colin Webster (IESF president), and Theunis van der Merwe (winner of the bursary). Photograph courtesy of YOU.

Long gone are the days where school sports are limited to a physical field. North-West University (NWU) and Mind Sports SA (MSSA)’s NWU MSSA Online School League recently concluded and these are the gamers that came out on top – and took home some serious cash:

1. Theunis van der Merwe of Hoërskool Klerksdorp won a R30,000.00 bursary in the individual category playing Street Fighter V. 
2. Dragon Gaming, a team of five from Monument Park High School in Cape Town won R10 000 for their games of Paladins. 
3. PRG DOTA A, a team of five from Paul Roos Gymnasium in Paarl won R10,000.00 for winning the DotA 2 esports title. 

The NWU MSSA Online School League started in 2010 with only three schools participating, but ESport has become so popular that the league had 60 participating schools for the 2019 event. MSSA has also joined hands with Media24 and Partnermedia, and now offer bigger prizes than just medals and provincial colours – such as cash prizes and study bursaries awarded to the winners this year. And this is only the beginning. 

Esport has become the fastest-growing spectator sport in the world, and just like an athletic child can consider a career in rugby or one of the other team sports offered at schools, there are now similar career opportunities for children gaming their days and nights away. According to Business Insider, South Africans earned R3,78 million playing formal esports in 2018. This excludes sponsorship deals. 

Enter the 2020 League.

If you or your school would like to take part in the 2020 NWU MSSA Online School League, send an email to: schoolesport@partnermedia.co.za or mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com

What is MSSA? 

Mind Sports SA is the official and largest membership-based organisation for gaming in South Africa and is an affiliate of the International Esports Federation, Federation de Jeau du Mondiale and the International Wargames Federation. Its membership to these international bodies make it the sole authority for the games that it caters for in terms of the South African Sports and Recreation Act and has the authority to award SA national colours for esports.