Never Fret, It’s the Majorettes!

Hannah Moffa, Staff Writer • October 13, 2023

Is there a point to football games without the Majorettes performing for the crowd? The Apopka High School Majorette team has started off this football season with great success due to their immense amount of effort. The Blue and White had the opportunity to interview six of our very own Majorettes and gather their views on the team.

When asked about her inspiration for joining the team, Senior and Majorette team captain, Ciria Curry, stated, “My freshman year I was at home all day, not doing anything and I knew I wanted to do something and I love dancing. I figured it would be fun, and it was. Now here I am.” Sophomore Katiana Charlemagne explained what made her join the team: “I wanted to have the opportunity to try something new and have a fun way to get out of my comfort zone.”

The majority of interviewees agreed that their views on school sports changed once they joined the team. Jennifer Williams, an Apopka High School sophomore, explained her opinion: “Since joining the team, you can really see how much work the girls put into making dances and the hours dedicated to the team. Seeing this made me realize that if you really want to do something you must work very hard for it.” Sophomore Naomi Vance added: “I didn’t really care about football that much last year, but since we’re on the sideline dancing and cheering on our team it’s a little embarrassing when we lose.”

Beginning a new journey is always accompanied by goals you hope to achieve. Interviewees like Sophomore Imani Ross and Junior Suriam Sanchez agreed that they hope to sharpen their skills and learn new tricks.

Jennifer further explained what she hopes to accomplish this season: “I hope to become the team’s manager and move up in the dance rows. Along with helping out more with the girl’s hair and what to wear to games and pep rallies.”

(left to right) Katiana Charlemagne, Imani Ross, Jennifer Williams, and Naomi Vance.

Being on the Majorette team means having fun on and off the field. Naomi described her favorite part of being on the team: “The bus rides to away games because the whole team has a way to really enjoy the time spent together where we’re not worrying about messing up or dropping.” Suriam explained what she enjoyed most: “I love the team itself. Having this fun and creative outlet where I can meet and make new friends.”

With hopes to expand their team, the Majorettes shared advice to anyone who is considering joining. Ciria suggested: “Always give your best and always show that you have energy and always try to push through even when times get tough.” Naomi added, “When you try out, put all your energy into it, make sure to smile, and keep going even if you make a mistake because it shows how much you want to be there and how hard you’re trying.”

The next time you tune into an Apopka High School football game or pep rally, The Blue and White strongly suggest watching the Majorettes perform on the sidelines.

About the Contributor

Hannah Moffa, Staff Writer

Up until sixth grade, I dedicated all my time to gymnastics and school work. I believed that as long as I was doing gymnastics and keeping myself at the top of my class, my whole life would just fall into place. In sixth grade, Covid hit. This is when I began to see gymnastics as more of a repetitive chore than a fun sport. While I used to take a deep breath and try again after failing to complete a skill, I was now angered at the fact that I wasn’t immediately perfect at something I had been doing since I was three. At that point in time, I decided it was in my best interest to step away from gymnastics and start a new chapter of my life. When the Covid restrictions were lifted, I was in eighth grade. Numerically, the days between sixth and eighth grade seemed very long and jumbled but the jump in maturity levels and my understanding of the world happened fast. In some ways, I think this was good for me because I was forced to learn how to adapt, but in other ways, this convinced me that if I didn’t move at a quick pace, I’d fall behind. Throughout eighth and ninth grade, I began writing. This taught me to not expect to be immediately perfect at everything, and while I still struggle with this as a sophomore, I’ve noticed a constant improvement. I hope that I’m able to reach people who have or are experiencing similar circumstances and help them learn that this process is not something they are supposed to just accept immediately, but a process to learn more about themselves and their true desires.