How school clubs affiliate for the 2020 season.

North West University (NWU) is the proud sponsor of MSSA's Online School League.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is the national federation for Board games, Card games, Esports, and Wargames.

MSSA promotes all  the different disciplines equally, although each school may pick-and-choose which discipline it wishes to promote at its school. Some schools will promote the whole gambit, while others will concentrate on only one discipline, and/or even just concentrate on one specific title.

The choice is ultimately up to the school.

The various mind sports offer unique opportunities to many South African learners. Many learners have been able to earn Regional, Provincial, and National Colours which have allowed them to earn bursaries and obtain first-class educations.
MSSA has sent teams with full Protea Colours to international events since 1991 for wargames, 1996 for Morabaraba, 1997 for Checkers, and 2005 for Esports. Many members of the national teams have been scholars, and all have benefited from their involvement in the national Protea Team. 

With the above in mind the MSSA has streamlined the process for schools to affiliate to the MSSA. There is still the option open for a school to start a full-blown sub-club on its premises, but bearing in mind the tight regulatory conditions under which accredited schools have to operate in the Republic, the MSSA no longer deems it necessary for a school to start a sub-club.

As long as the school club has the approval of the school, and has an Educator-in-Charge, a school may affiliate by merely completing the Application for Affiliation Form and submitting such to MSSA.Any applicant needs to be aware of the following:

1. MSSA’s Constitution, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17Mp0R18tLGgpXwbWFufG3yOAsKNe7rVP
2. MSSA’s General Regulations, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1h6Za5yBD4LlymH2WuFf5genqXuBd6NSD
3. An Application for Affiliation form,  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bPmnmvPu0ZYYye_ZB8uSzyxqGJ3hYTLX
4. Registration Forms for all players – including the teacher in charge and any/all coaches, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ueL9ocHH1ftFJ7yOwnDkYT0ll54auFQs
5. The fee note form – please note that the fees for school clubs are R104.00 affiliation fee and R10.00 per player (including the Educator-in-Charge) per annum, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1E3oRMA1NBBFtDA1Sg231yqUd2_9gZ9td
6. The Letter of Undertaking, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B1ma4A2XZaSiR2hJMThjMUxDdVE and
7. A brochure on the MSSA. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZzfT280fxlzP5m22Z4wJAHWBGtNpkJAY

In order to affiliate, the completed Application for affiliation Form must be submitted to the MSSA.

Once the Board has approved a school’s affiliation, the school then needs to complete the Google Registration Page allocated to the school for the players and make payment.

All school members may participate in all events for which it qualifies. Such events include meetings, championships, courses, and so forth. 

Advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club: 

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. Enable your gamers to take part in MSSA events, which may qualify them for Regional, Provincial, and National colours, overseas trips, and even sports bursaries at university.

MSSA’s Constitution   

The Constitution forms the foundation of the MSSA. It guarantees members rights and governs the way that the MSSA operates. It can only be amended by a two-thirds majority at a Council Meeting. Please remember that Associations only have two (2) votes each, whereas member clubs have a representational vote, being: normal clubs: one vote per every five registered players, and school clubs: one vote per every ten registered players.

MSSA’s General Regulations   

The General Regulations comprises of decisions made by both Council and Executive Committee Meetings. The General Regulations deals with how sub-committees operate as well as to how teams are selected and development funding is distributed.   Please refer to Schedule 10.12 in regard to the rights of clubs in hosting events.

MSSA’s Discipline Specific Regulations   

The Discipline Specific Regulations deal with rules concerning the different disciplines. The Disciplines that the MSSA caters for are; Board Gaming, Card gaming, Esports, and Figure Gaming.
Application for Affiliation form   

When a club applies for membership, the applicant club must complete such form and return the same to the MSSA.

Fee note for 2020 

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

Player Registration Form   

The Player Registration Form needs to be completed by every player that is a member of a club and intends to participate in MSSA affairs.

MSSA’s Letter of Undertaking   

The Letter of Undertaking is for all registered players who sit on any MSSA committee.

Social Media

The MSSA makes use of the following:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindsportssa
• South African Schools' Esports Group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1676447775912809/
• Twitter: @mindsportssa
• Intstagram: @mindsportssouthafrica
• Blog page: https://esportscommentator.blogspot.com/

Should you have any queries whatsoever, please contact mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com.

Also read:

• Entry fees for Provincial and National Championships for the period 1 November 2019 to 31 October 2020.
• Advantages of affiliation
• Esports titles selected for all MSSA's Premier Provincial and National Championships
• Esports titles selected for all MSSA's School Championships.
• 2020 Calendar of Events
• The various events held by Mind Sports South Africa.
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Selecting the national Protea teams for Mind Sports South Africa.

An opportunity for all member clubs.

Mind Sports South Africa is the Founding Partner of EsportAfrica.TV

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) has always aggressively promoted itself and its member clubs in the media.

As a result, MSSA has had many thousands of articles published in the mainstream media about itself, its members clubs and, of course, its athletes.

Media houses like Media 24, IOL, MyComlink, Caxton, Newseveryday.co.za, and MyComlink give continuous coverage to Mind Sports South Africa and its members.

MSSA too started its own blog page in August 2013, and since then the numbers have climbed to having 658,991 readers.

However, there is a new stunning PartnerMedia development. In partnership with (a division of Media 24), EsportsAfrica.TV has been founded. EsportsAfrica.TV is designed to be the home of African Esport Content. Serving as a consolidated platform for all esports related content to better reach audiences and media.

As a benefit to all MSSA members, member clubs may have their content placed on this exciting new platform. For the full criteria that a member needs to follow, please write to mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com.

Thus all member club's are invited to send content for the blog page and/or for EsportsAfrica.TV and are welcome to highlight their achievements, sponsorships, strategies, events, and/or top players.

There is no better, or easier way, of advertising your club albeit a private, university, or school club.

Also read

• Calendar of  Events: 2020
• Affiliation: Schools
• Affiliation: Private clubs
• Clubs are invited to post articles on MSSA's blog.

Why schools and universities should invest in esports.

The national Protea Team has its roots in both the universities and schools.

It is well known that Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) had its roots in the Wits Wargames Club in 1982 when Gavin Munro, Dorian Love, and Colin Webster realised that there was a need for a national federation in order to give gaming greater accreditation.

MSSA has always remained true to its roots and has  always actively pursued growth at both school and university level.

Unfortunately, in South Africa, there is much more emphasis given to the sports of football, rugby, and cricket, and the mind sports are left largely as 'Cinderella' sports, even though it it is vital that athletes be trained on a mental level as well as a physical level if they want to succeed.

With the rising costs of maintaining vast fields for the outdoor physical sports, and even a dwindling interest in such sports, it is now more important than ever for schools and universities to re-consider their involvement in mind sports - especially esports.

Jonathan Yates, in his article "

Ten Reasons Your Department Should Embrace eSports" identified 10 reasons why schools and universities should embrace esports within its sports departments.

In essence, the reasons according to Jonathan (put into South African terms) are:

1. With the growth of esports, more-and-more educational institutions are getting involved.
2. Esports has the ability to earn income as opposed to being a net expense to the institution.
3. Smaller staffs are required to ensure the good-running of such a programme.
4. There are lower maintenance costs as often existing venues can be utilised.
5. Esports is perfect to promote gender and demographic equality. There is no reason an entire esports team cannot be female. 
6. With most of the fans globally being in Asia, South African schools and universities could use esports to actively, and relatively cheaply, advertise into these areas. 
7. Many learners and students will compete in both esports and other traditional sports.
8. A sports department will embrace esports and develop the programme to draw new learners and students.
9. An eports programme is an excellent way for synergistic relations with many academic departments that other sports simply cannot foster. Computer, math, engineering, and others can gain from working with an esports team. This engenders support for the sports department from a broader base in the rest of the educational institution.
10. Esports allows sports departments to indulge in new revenue streams. As esports reflects the changing society this will become more important as the years progress.

Certainly, MSSA can attest to much of what Jonathan has written. Being the oldest, and longest, esports organisation in existence, MSSA has seen much otf the above to be true.

However, for any of the above to succeed it needs to have the total commitment of the sports department in order to create clear guidelines as  it would for any other sport.

Also read:

• Esports titles to be played at MSSA 2019 Premier Championships.
• Esports titles to be played at MSSA 2019 Student Championships.
• Esports titles for official High School Championships.
• The will of the membership.
• Why MSSA runs its Regional Championships the way it does.
• Draft Calendar of Events for 2019.
• Redefining what it means to be a student athlete.

MSSA's Annual South African Schools National Championships - 15 & 16 June 2019

Scenes from 2018 school events.

Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) South African Schools' National Championships is the perfect start for players to launch themselves into top level competition.

Many of South Africa's top players who have represented South African Protea teams in international competition have come through the ranks at such South African Schools' National Championships.

MSSA is proud of its reputation of promoting youth in its national teams, and as a result, most of MSSA's teams that have represented South Africa have had a component of players that were learners who were still in High School.

Thus it should be noted that such South African Schools' National Championships not only counts towards players earning Provincial and National Colours, but also counts towards MSSA's selection process.

All gamers are reminded that MSSA's South African Schools' National Championships are an open championship. In other words any registered player, who is currently a registered learner, is entitled to enter the championship – no matter where they live.

For additional information, please contact MSSA at mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com

Details are as follows:

• Board gaming: https://esportscommentator.blogspot.com/2019/05/board-games-mssas-annual-s-school.html
• Esports: https://esportscommentator.blogspot.com/2019/05/esports-mssas-annual-south-african.html
• Wargaming: https://esportscommentator.blogspot.com/2019/05/wargames-mssas-annual-south-african.html

Championship Details:

• 
  Host Club: Fakkel School of Skills, 20 Jan Smuts Ave., Sasolburg
• Entry date: 31 May 2019. 
• Date of Championships: 15 & 16 June 2019
• Accommodation: Please telephone the school to see if there is accommodation available at (016) 976 0470.

Member clubs must enter their teams/players by downloading the entry form on Googe Drive and submitting it to mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com. The entry form may be found on: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VEYdTjmTj6FvqNDftSz9QdAYsiOiRaaI7EUY_rKxDUI/edit#gid=0

In keeping with Mind Sport South Africa's policies re development programmes, entries are free and gratis to registered players who are unable to afford to enter such championships should the member club formally request assistance. Such applications must be directed to the MSSA at: e-mail: mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com 

Players who are registered with any school may participate.

Also read:

• Ensuring gender equity in esports.
• MSSA celebrates its women who have earned Protea Colours.
• Why schools and universities should invest in esports.
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• 2019 Calendar of Events
• Important notice: MSSA drops the esports title 'Fortnite' from its provincial and national events.