The Germiston Stadium will be alive with colour and activity from July 2 to 9, when the SAMCA (South African National Majorette and Cheerleading Association) Nationals take to the field.
Each year, drum majorette and cheerleading teams compete for the title of South African Champions.
This year, the week-long tournament will be hosted by the GMCA (Gauteng Majorette and Cheerleading Association).
The event has not been hosted by Gauteng for seven years and next year will be held in Durban, so this is the perfect opportunity to come along and witness the teams in action up close.
Drum Majorettes, better known as “Drummies”, started in the 1970s, with “marching girls” performing in street parades to music played by the pipe band.
Cheerleading in SA started in 2010 and has evolved into a very competitive sport, with over 20 teams in South Africa.
In both sports, athletes who excel are recognised with provincial colours, national colours and, ultimately, Protea colours.
Athletes who achieve SAMCA colours may then audition for a spot in the Protea team, which travels abroad to compete internationally.
The National Championships are attended by over 100 teams, consisting of approximately 4 000 athletes, and it attracts in the region of 20 000 spectators during the week-long championships.
The events will run as follows:
Cheerleading:
- Heats: July 2.
- Finals: July 3.
Drum majorettes: President’s League:
- Heats: July 4.
- Finals: July 5.
Drum majorettes: Elite League:
- Primary school heats: July 6.
- High school heats: July 7.
- Primary school finals: July 8.
- High school finals: July 9.
This year’s event will also see Allan Donaldson celebrating his 40th year of coaching the current South African champion drum majorette team, St Dominic’s.
In 1976 Allan become the trainer of St Dominic’s Drum Majorettes.
Little did he know at the time what an impact he would have on the thousands of girls and teams around South Africa, nor the name he would create with his own teams over the next 40 years.
Allan has devoted his life to the sport and in so doing has driven it to new heights, time and time again.
He is the only trainer in South Africa to have attended all 39 Nationals and this year he will attend the milestone 40th National Championships.
The public is invited to come along and see the teams in action during the week.
For more information on the event visit www.samcanationals.co.za
