West End, Spine Road crowned 2024 drill squad champions

Hard work and dedication paid off as West End Primary and Spine Road High school’s drill squads were crowned overall winners of their respective divisions, at the SAPS Mitchell’s Plain schools’ marching and drill competition, at the Goodwood sports complex, at the weekend.

West End coach, Dawood Abrahams, can be forgiven for feeling a little bit stressed ahead of the team’s exhibition march.

Although favourites going into the competition as last year’s champions and winners in Gqeberha in August, his charges looked somewhat lacklustre during the warm-up ahead of their turn in front of the judges.

The coach’s concern was understandable but he needn't have worried as the Lentegeur squad showcased their skill and precision when it was time to strut their stuff.

The competition featured six primary, seven high schools and seven community teams from Mitchell’s Plain, Hanover Park, Elsies River and Uitsig, as well as teams from the Eastern Cape where the competition has grown in leaps and bounds in recent years.

With all teams bringing their A-game, it was hard to pick a winner, but ultimately, the judges’ decision was unanimous as the two schools marched off with the major accolades.

“It was not an easy task, we have faced a lot of challenges yet we remained calm and worked really, really hard,” said Abrahams.

He said the level of competition was high and it was difficult to predict who would walk away a winner. “The judges were on point, especially with the dress inspection and grand march. I loved the way they walked along the teams to check thoroughly those lined and leg movements and arms,” he said.

Winning high school coach, Spine Road’s Franchkino Booyse says following their appearance at the Port Elizabeth competition in August, they only had a month to prepare for the weekend’s competition - 11 practice sessions of three to four hours each on Fridays and Saturdays - to get the squad to the next level.

Some practice sessions had to be cancelled due to recent rainy weather but thankfully, they always had a Plan B. Working out formations can be a headache, but it’s all a team effort, he said.

“We take the Mitchell's Plain SAPS competition very seriously,” said Booyse.

“I can gladly say I'm working with a brilliant team, we share ideas and the cadets are involved in the decision-making,” he said.

“The most difficult moves performed are trying to have lines kept to perfection while having to hold a straight head. That's the most difficult, to have those same line walking on angles back into straight lines with a big team can get a handful, but the end result always pays off.”

Former SAPS Mitchell’s Plain sports administrator, Captain Cornelia Louw, along with former Mitchell’s Plain SAPS station commander, Major General Jeremy Vearey and long-standing sponsor Kader Miller of Midea Promotions, have been involved with the competition since its inception in 2007. Although no longer with SAPS MItchell’s Plain, Captain Louw still serves as the chairperson of the competition’s local organising committee (LOC).

“It’s been 14 years and every year is better than the previous year, we have awesome loyal partners onboard making it possible to host this sport,” she said.

Captain Louw expressed gratitude for the commitment of their partners and participating teams, and called on the Western Cape Education Department and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport and others, to join hands with them.

“Thankfully,” she said, “we have the support of the new station commander supporting the programme.”

However, she added, a lack of funding and safety concerns remain a problem.

For Miller, it’s a no-brainer, considering its growth over the years. “The competition has grown from just Mitchell’s Plain schools to Port Elizabeth schools . After attending our competition, they adopted our concept and introduced it to schools in Port Elizabeth.They now have 48 schools,” he said.

“The discipline and the dress code is what impresses me the most. I can relate to the kids that are struggling because I went through the same struggles. Therefore I wanted to make a difference,” he said.