Tafelsig Drill squad. pic supplied Tafelsig Drill squad. pic supplied
Nicolette Dirk
TAFELSIG High School’s drilling team made a clean sweep at this year’s Nelson Mandela Bay Schools Marching Competition, held on Monday at the Adcock Stadium in Korsten.
The Mitchells Plain school competed against 21 other schools from the Eastern Cape and took home awards for best dressed, best drum major, best grand march pass, best exhibition and overall winners of the high school teams.
Member Aqiela Davids said the team arrived home yesterday morning exhausted, but elated after their win.
Davids said her experience in Port Elizabeth also showed her how fortunate Tafelsig High was because some drilling teams do not have drums during their drills.
“Being part of a drilling team has taught me that without respect, you have nothing. I can’t describe how we all felt when we won. None of us could hold back our tears.”
“I have been part of the marching team since Grade 8. When I was in primary school, I used to watch them.”
School principal Rushda O’Shea said she was thrilled at her pupils achievements.
“There are always bad things reported about Tafelsig and often there is so little for kids to do here. We have eleven sport codes at our school to keep kids of the street.”
The team nearly did not make it to the competition because they did not have transport. But O’Shea said thanks to former cabinet minister Trevor Manuel, social development MEC Albert Fritz and members of the school’s alumni, they managed to get enough money to pay for a bus.
But besides the help that got them to the competition, O’Shea said the passion of the pupils and their coach Selvin Lewis was what made them winners. Lewis not only takes charge of the school’s drilling team, but also coaches the school’s chess team.
The multitasking teacher has been at Tafelsig for 26 years and started the school’s first drilling team seven years ago.
“For our first competition, we were notified only three weeks ahead of the event,” he said.
Despite the short notice to prepare, they won Mitchells Plain’s March Drill Competition. Lewis said one of the main things the drilling teaches pupils was respect and discipline.
“I am very happy about what they achieved, but for me, this was preparation for the big competition taking place on October 17 in Mitchells Plain.”
The SAPS Mitchells Plain marching drill competition will include most schools from Mitchells Plain along with the top three Port Elizabeth teams from Monday’s competition.