RSM, a family, common values
1- What is RSM?
Rencontre Sportive Malagasy “RSM” is an annual, secular and apolitical sports event bringing together the Malagasy Community and Friends of Madagascar in North America. Founded in 2002, the 2023 edition will be in DMV on July 1-2, 2023.
2- What is the goal of RSM?
RSM’s goal is to strengthen the bonds between the different Malagasy Communities in Canada and the US. RSM allow them to relive the festive spirit Malagasy people usually show during big sports events like the “Jeux des Iles”.
With most our kids being born in North America, we are hoping RSM will teach them about the “Fihavanana Malagasy” over the course of a weekend, make them proud of their Malagasy roots and their sense of belonging to the Malagasy Community, encourage them to contribute to its social and cultural development.
Through this cultural and athletic event, all participants (kids and adults alike) not only have the opportunity to extend their circle of friends, but also to have a greater interaction with the Malagasy world.
Finally, RSM is a tool to make our little community known to our country hosts.
3. What are the values of RSM?
RSM advocates many values dear to our ancestors that we hope to show throughout the tournament.
Fihavanana: Friendship and Brotherhood between the Malagasy but also our hosts.
Fifanajana: Respect towards other people as well as
Firaisakina: Solidarity, know how to build and improve
Fitiavana tanindrazana: Love of our ancestral lands “Madagascar”
4. What to expect at RSM?
During RSM, every generation interacts and socializes. “Nenibe” (grandmas) get their grandkids ready for the competition; a little kid would bring water to his/her Dad at halftime. RSM is a family event aiming to bring families and far-away friends together.
RSM is also a great moment on and off the field/court. We cheer spectacular plays, we laugh off the friendly banter from the teams and fans alike, and we sing and praise our respective teams… all of it in a friendly and fraternal manner.
RSM is a moment to share. At the end of tournament, the trophies ceremony is followed by a Community Meal.
The Malagasy community and “Friends of Madagascar” get together for RSM. Many cities and regions are represented: Austin, Cleveland, Montreal, New Jersey, New York, Ottawa, Québec, Saint-Jérôme, Toronto, Trois-Rivières, Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, Connecticut… The most recent delegation is from Minnesota.
In recent years, we have been witnessing the emergence of a new generation of players mostly in Basketball and Soccer. One should also admire and congratulate the resilience and fair-play of the Montreal “Hatrika” always present to honor and defend their Volleyball Champion title.
5. Why the JOM articles?
At every RSM editions, we have witnessed an evolution of the game as well as organization. Competition is tougher and some teams have been known to recruit “mercenaries”. These players, of great physical and technical abilities, are not interesting in RSM values but are just focusing on winning.
All year-round, the Malagasy Community has the chance to play and interact with other communities whether it is at school, college intra-murals, clubs and leagues. RSM is the ONLY time of the year to be with fellow countrymen. To protect the nature and values of RSM, JOM rules have been put in place so that players are eligible and respectful of those values.
6. What sports can you play at RSM?
RSM is striving to standardize its different editions. The Regional Committees agreed on the importance of the actual 4 sports as they allow for the most player participation. Everybody can find something to suit them: Basket Ball (Men, Women and Youth), Volley Ball, Soccer (Men and Youth) and Bocce Ball.
7. Why is RSM at the end of June, beginning of July?
Every year we are trying to find a date most convenient to everybody. The dates are usually chosen in accordance with the guest players’ return trip home. They most likely will fall around the weekend between Canada Day (July 1st) and Independence Day (July 4th). This also falls during the summertime allowing for outdoor soccer play as well as bocce ball.
8. What is the RSM network?
Word of mouth allows different people to get together and form a team in order to participate to the RSM. We are always looking forward to new teams every tournament. “The more the merrier” they say.
An official group RSM is on Facebook. The group can help players and fans alike to keep in touch. It is also the best place to organize logistics (carpool, accommodations…) and who knows a few surprises along the way!
9. How to participate to RSM?
You can subscribe as a team or an individual. If you already leave in an area where there is a Regional Committee, you should directly contact the people in charge about playing with their teams.
You can also use the RSM network to create a team. Your team does not need to represent a city or region. However you must imperatively abide to the JOM rules.
10. How can you contribute?
There are many ways to contribute to RSM. We always welcome ideas and suggestions. We also accept cash and in-kind donations (food, drinks, services…). Finally we are looking for people who can help in these different areas:
- prepare the players food during the tournament
- hosting the different delegations from participating cities
- transport and install the different equipment and sound system
You don’t have to be from the hosting city to contribute. You can contact the present CO at rsm_washingtondc@hotmail.com
Your help is precious!
The history of RSM
It all started during the 2001 “Jeux de la Francophonie”, which took place in Ottawa-Hull, Canada. The party organized in honor of the Malagasy sports delegation, allowed two groups of fervent supporters to meet. On one side there were the "MYP" - Malagasy Young People from New York/New Jersey led by Naina Ramaherijaona, and the other the Ottawa-Hull Tanora were led Heritiana Andriamihamisoa. For the love of the sport, both "Mpanentana" have agreed to organize a small Basketball meet between the two groups before their return trip home.
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The first meeting was therefore held on the last day of the Games. The players included the boys of "Bekintana": Naina, Mika, Lipo, and Andry (from Cleveland). The Canada team was composed of Heritiana, Liva, Hery, Abdon, Elvis, Joseph, and Tojo.
The game took place in a particular environment, reminiscent of old school days back in Madagascar filled with "Taim-bava" friendly trash talk to amuse the gallery, and "Mifanala" but all in the tone of "Fihavanana" and sportsmanship.
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Delighted to have shared this afternoon and a few phone calls later, Naina and Heritiana were planning another meeting in Ottawa in May 2002. Meanwhile in Montreal, other Malagasy had started playing indoors at the end of winter. Wanting to share the same emotions and the same atmosphere of the first meeting, Heritiana contacted one of the indoor coordinator, Mbelo Rakotomalala. Having both attended the RNS in France (Mbelo for the city of Nancy and Heritiana for Bezons and Amiens), they both knew the formula to adopt though on a much smaller and modest scale than the well-known and popular tournament in Europe.
The coordinators from New-York/New Jersey, Montreal and Ottawa fixed the date of the tournament to May 25, 2002 in Montreal and began to realize this project for the Malagasy community in North America: RSM was born! The rest is history and forever etched in our memories.
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The first edition of the RSM was marked by the willingness of the members of the community to be around each other and to keep Madagascar in our hearts. For this project, venues and funding were needed. Several benefactors, including former Ambassador of Madagascar to Canada HE Mr. Besoa Razafimaharo, Consul Yvon Martin as well as different associations and Malagasy churches, showed great generosity and solidarity with the organizers of the tournament.
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The main contributors of the event were: Philemon Rakotonjanahary, Valery Ramonjavelo, President of at the time, Kathy and Jose Ralijaona, Nancy Rakotomalala in charge of the community meal at the Awards Ceremony, Haja Ramahatra for the PA and all the volunteers who worked for the success of the tournament.
If this first tournament only involved Basketball, soccer entered the scene a few months later in Montreal thanks to the initiative of Jean Claude Rajaonah and Philemon Rakotonjanahary. If young people have a small fondness for basketball, “less” younger and “very” young people are excited about the presence of soccer in the tournament. Under growing demand, mixed volleyball was introduced in the second edition of the RSM in 2003 in Montreal. Thus, after these two editions, RSM could claim to have achieved its primary objective: to allow the community to grow in the sport and the “Fihavanana” Malagasy.
Also in 2003, this time in the United States, MYP wanted to organize a tournament like the one in Montreal. They contacted several friends throughout the country. In Washington DC, Farrah Malala and Bakoly Randrianarivelo found the idea very interesting. Indeed, they lamented that the Tanora Gasy of DC didn’t know and socialize with each other. They have then decided to form a team. They called on all Malagasy parents who immediately supported the project financially and also encouraged their children to attend regular training sessions.
In July 2003, Farrah and Bakoly led four teams from Washington DC (2 Men’s Basketball teams, 1 Women’s Basketball team and a soccer team) in New York for the tournament. This took place in a fun atmosphere and it was agreed that Washington will host the 2004 edition.
In 2004, a small delegation from Canada made the trip to Washington DC. At the end of the tournament, it was decided to combine RSM Canada and RSM United States. Over the years, RSM has become the great rendezvous of the Malagasy community in North America!
Organization
​RSM is an all-volunteer organization regrouping people of goodwill from the Malagasy community in North America.
From its humble beginnings, RSM had to build, through the years, an organizational structure to better meet the demands of the ever-growing Malagasy community.
RSM Board or “RSM Foibe"
RSM Foibe is an entity that manages the RSM organization. It consists of a collegial Council, whose members are representatives of the Regional Committees. The number of CR members serving on the Board varies and is defined in the RSM Charter.
The Regional Committees or “CR”
Given the geographical context of the North American continent, the Malagasy diaspora is organized by regional grouping. At each local level, there are coordinators who form a Regional Committee or “CR”.
The CR acts as liaison between the tournament organizers and its community to ensure a greater participation of the Malagasy community. The CR is also responsible for the supervision of participants from their respective region. It makes sure the participants respect RSM values (Fihavanana, Fifanajana, etc.) and rules (JOM rules, rules of conduct, etc.).
Currently there are seven (7) Regional Committees:
In the US:
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Tristate (New York / New Jersey / Connecticut)
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DC (Virginia, Maryland, Wa.-DC)
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Midwest (Minnesota, Michigan, etc.)
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Southwest (Texas, California, Tennessee, etc.)
In Canada:
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Montreal
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Ottawa
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Quebec
The Organizing Committee or “CO”
Regional Committees have agreed to rotate the organization of the RSM tournament between them.
When an existing CR or a new committee supports the organization of the next edition of RSM, it is known as the Organizing Committee or “CO”. The CO is responsible for holding the RSM tournament according to strict specifications already defined by the RSM Foibe and based on previous editions.
CO and CR coordinate their efforts to enforce Malagasy and RSM values. They work for the development of the RSM movement.
Volunteers
RSM distinguished itself from other sporting events as the organization is provided by its participants. Indeed the majority of human resources involved in the organization of the RSM are derived from associations/teams participating in the event.
Service Providers
For special tasks such as referees, security, cleaning, maintenance and installation of gymnasium facilities, the CO may use specialized service providers.
