Cape Town - A 17-year-old Grabouw girl, Chandre Hendricks, is among 55 athletes flying the South African flag high in Croatia this week.
The team is participating in the Majorette-Sport World Federation’s World Championships.
The South African Majorette and Cheerleading Association (SAMCA) team flew to Zagreb to join thousands of participants from different countries in the competition, which starts tomorrow until September 25.
The team departed on Tuesday, two days after receiving their Protea colours in Johannesburg at the weekend.
This is a dream come true for the Groenberg Secondary School Grade 11 pupil as her hard work finally paid off, and a proud moment for those who watched her moving up the ladder.
“Drummies has influenced my life positively and I have learned so much from everyone. I am privileged enough to have an amazing team by my side. We support each other and love each other immensely,” she said.
Hendricks started with drumming from Grade 1, and became a large drill leader of the junior squad in 2016, then received Boland Majorette Colours in 2017 and in 2020 she got SAMCA Colours.
Coach Robin Benjamin said: “Chandre is one of those athletes who has a natural talent for this sport. All I had to do was to push and motivate her, the rest was all her.
“The team, the community, everyone is extremely proud of her. She is the first of our team to have made it so far since the club was established. Chandre is definitely opening doors for her teammates who wish to follow in her footsteps."
“This was Chandre's lifelong dream and an opportunity like this needs to be embraced. The award of Protea Colours is a life-changing event for athletes, and the recipient of such is able to carry such an award with them for the rest of their lives. I know that the benefits of Protea Colours are immense and may affect every aspect of the Chandre’s life. Coming from a disadvantaged community of Rooidakke in Chandre can become the role model of many in our community,” added Hendricks’s mom Elizabeth Swartz.
Swartz thanked everyone who made the trip possible, after helping raise the R48 000 travelling fee.
“Nicolette Amsterdam and Donovan Julius were the driving force behind all our efforts. We are forever grateful to the community of Grabouw, Theewaterskloof Municipality and Suurbraak for helping us.”
The team is expected to return home on September 27.