With 10 days to go to the 11th annual Mitchell’s Plain Schools’ Marching and Drill Competition, get ready to applaud your school at the Soccer Oval, at the Stephen Reagon sports field in Westridge on Saturday October 13.
The event is being hosted by Midea Events in conjunction with Mitchell’s Plain SAPS and the Plainsman and starts at 8am.
Last Friday September 28, Kader Miller from Midea Events hosted a draw evening at the Ghoema Theatre in Bo-Kaap to determine the order of performance next Saturday for the participating schools, which include schools from the Eastern Cape, the Southern Cape and the West Coast, as well as community marching and drilling teams.
Alpha Primary School from the Eastern Cape will kick-start the primary school category, followed by Westville Primary School in Westridge, Nxanelwimfundo Primary School in the Eastern Cape, Mandalay Primary School, Huguenot Primary School in Tafelsig, Liesbeeck Primary School in Portland, Harvester Primary School in Westridge and ending with Vergenoeg Spartans from Vredendal.
Winner of last year’s high school teams, Elsies River High School will start the drum roll, followed by Vredendal Griffons, Gelvandale High School in the Eastern Cape, Tafelsig High School; The Crags from Plettenberg Bay; Spine Road High School in Rocklands, Beacon Hill High School in Beacon Valley, Heinz Park community team, Chapman High School in the Eastern Cape and Visionares community team, which includes former pupils from Jamaica and Liesbeeck primary schools.
The competition’s rules are basic as it caters for SAPS, military and navy drill styles. The adjudication allows for all types of marching. There is only one criterion, which is uniformity in movement and dress. Rules dictate that if one team member wears a blazer then everyone must look the same, including ribbons and sock colour.
Mitchell’s Plain Community Police Forum (CPF) chairperson, Abie Isaacs, said the marching and drilling programme was
introduced to teach delinquent youth discipline and respect for authority.
The competition’s local organising committee (LOC) which includes the CPF and its affiliated organisations, thanked all its sponsors, namely Joey Davids, from Xtreme Contractors for covering the costs of the toilets; Seven Star Xtreme energy drink for the sound; the Chinese Embassy and Huaxing Arts Group, for the entertainment.
Entry to the competition is free and all children will be tagged by Mitchell’s Plain police station’s Child Rapid Response Unit (CRRU). The CRRU consists of CPF volunteers and associates, who have been screened and trained in Level 1 First Aid, crime scene management, and search and rescue protocol.
The event is an alcohol, weapon and substance free event and the LOC reserves the right of admission and all entrants will be subject to a bag search.
Coaches and managers of
participating schools and drill squads must attend a meeting
at Mitchell’s Plain police station’s boardroom on Saturday October
6 at 9am. For more information, call Mitchell’s Plain police station at 021 370 1638, Captain Ian Williams on 082 522 3102 or email mplainschoolsmarchingdrill@gmail.com