False Bay Primary School’s majorette team will head to Klerksdorp this weekend aiming for top honours at the Federation of Dance Drill, Cheerleading and Majorette Sport South Africa (FDDCMSA) National Championship.
“We want to finish in the top five of all the categories that we entered,” said Joan Africa, coach of the False Bay Primary majorettes.
The competition runs in the North West town from Saturday 12 to Thursday 17 July, and the 40 girls from Macassar will compete in the large drill, small drill, flag group, non prop and pom group categories.Qualifying for this year’s championship came through small victories culminating in their presence on the national stage.
The team, founded in 2021, first had to qualify for their Western Province colours for majorettes.
To achieve this, they passed a fitness assessment and performed a two-and-a-half-minute mace-and-flag routine for provincial judges. They also performed a pom-pom routine taught on the day.
“After a long and strenuous weekend they were finally awarded their colours,” said Africa. “Getting through the national trials was even harder.”
To participate in nationals, the team completed trials including an interview with the national panel, another fitness assessment and two unprepared mace and baton performances.
“I won’t call us unique, but I can proudly say that we have the most dedicated athletes who attend practices no matter the weather,” said Africa. “Some of our girls are from poverty-stricken households but their dedication is commendable.”
The team normally trains about three days a week after school and on Saturdays. For the competition, however, they stepped up by practising daily since the start of the June school holidays, growing the girls’ confidence.
The intensive training has already shown results. “We had some very shy, introverted girls in the team who have completely come out of their shells since joining the team,” Africa pointed out.
She said participation had not only boosted their self-esteem, but also improved some girls’ academic performance and helped others develop self-discipline by becoming more focused.
“My long-term goal is for False Bay majorettes to grow into a more formidable team that will become a beacon of light for the girls of Macassar.”
In pursuit of this goal, 21 of the girls have earned Federation Western Province colours, and three have Federation National colours, which saw them tour France and representing South Africa at the International Association of Majorettes competition last year.
Africa hopes this will enable the girls to take up leadership roles in the sport as they develop skills to carry themselves with grace and dignity.
Despite their accolades financial constraints plague the team. The cost to participate totals R4 500 per person, which some of the girls cannot cover.
Though Africa said the community had supported the team brilliantly by attending fundraising events at the school, they need one final push to ensure all girls participated comfortably.
The girls received collection lists, and community members could “adopt a drummie” by donating to the trip.
With departure imminent, support is still needed. The team leaves for Klerksdorp at 12:00 on Wednesday 9 July, but opportunities to assist them financially continues.
๏ฎTo donate funds or goods to the team, or for more information, phone Africa on 083 216 0705.
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