By Daanyaal Matthews
Spine Road High School’s Drill Squad has been ranked number one in Mitchell’s Plain after competing in the Mitchell’s Plain School Drilling Competition.
For Franchkino Booyse, coach of the Spine Road High marching squad, the achievement of the school and its students is tied to the discipline instilled through rigorous training, stating:
“A marching drill takes a lot of discipline, a lot of precision, and a lot of time and effort to be a marching drill cadet at the end of the day. Not everyone can do it; it’s much like your walk to the shop, just with much more structure, much more precision, and more focus as we add formation and other parts.”
The competition saw numerous schools in Mitchells plain competing, from high school to primary schools, all vying for the honour of being first in the community, crafting an incredibly stressful and competitive situation. For Booyse, the main concern for the team is themselves and ensuring that they perform to the best of their ability.
“It’s frustrating to a point because you don’t know where you are standing in terms of points because everybody did their routine as it should be done. So, for us, it was doing we do enough, did we do as much as we could, and is this enough to give us the victory? Which it was,” stated Booyse.
Marching squads, as well as other activities and sports, offer a unique opportunity for learners to distract themselves and build themselves in a team that instils discipline and routine. Booyse argued that this aspect of the activity is his joy, but the enthusiasm and happiness of the learners is the greatest reward.
“It has been very stressful to get where we are currently, but, with the team, with the love and support, it really comes down to that,” stressed Booyse.
Listen to the full interview here:
VOCNews
Photo: Supplied
