Maties Cheerleading: Champions of the 2025 Varsity Cup ‘Cheerleaders That Rock’ Competition
Q&A with Maties Cheerleading Captain Tiffany Van Wyk and Manager Elroy Smith.
Q: How did the team feel after winning the award?
A: We are over the moon. It’s a back-to-back win. There were a lot of emotions that night because we were really stressed and burnt out because it was a very long season for us. We decided to support the women as well this season and that took a bit of a toll on us.
During the finals they told us 20 minutes before, that they were going to announce the winners during the strategic break on TV. I was nervous and then I spoke to my team, and they were like, no, we’re confident in what we submitted.
I remember sobbing of happiness, but also relief because it’s been such a tough season. And it was rewarding; it was like the fruits of our labour had finally like come into fruition. So many people sent me that video of me just sobbing on national television. I’m very, very proud of them. I was stunned for a solid 10 minutes after that even I ran to Elroy with tears in my eyes.
Q: What went into preparing for the competition?
A: It was new routines every single game, so we spent a lot of time planning the routines, picking out music, mixing the music, and then plotting it in with the team. But a problem that we encountered was academics because it we were deep into A1 exams as well. Where some universities have one week of tests, we have a whole month.
So, it was really difficult to have a practice where everyone was present. And that’s why we had to often go into the weekends.
Q: As a club manager Elroy, how did you feel about the team’s success?
A: I was excited on the night. Somehow, my gut told me it was going to be them [Maties Cheerleading] winning.
I’ve seen the sacrifice. I’ve seen the hours they’ve put in over weekends. There was one evening they trained until nine o’clock in the evening. Having them get the reward for the hard work and their diligence was nice to see and to see their raw emotions.
Looking back from where we were as a club and where we are now, there’s been massive growth, and a lot of hard work went into it. I was amazed to see how many hours get spent into developing a routine. So, it really was nice to see them get the prize.
Q: As the captain can you describe a standout moment from the season, either as a team or individually that you felt was a highlight of the season?
Winning was a highlight of my season and redoing our Thunderstruck routine. That routine is very near and dear to us because in the cheerleading world, everyone knows Thunderstruck. So, we really wanted to do that. When we did it the first time and it was cut short and that was a whole mess. It took a lot out of me because, I also had to tell my team, get off of the field, go outside of the stadium and take a breath.
So, when we got the chance to not only redo the Derby but redo the Thunderstruck routine as well. While I was in a stunt, I realized that we had gotten through basically everything. And what was left was eight counts, and I was thinking, we did it!
It was so surreal. And I’m so glad that we had the opportunity to do it again. I couldn’t even explain to my team how proud I was of them.
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering joining the Maties Cheerleading Team?
A: You need to know that it’s going to take a lot out of you, but it’s also going to be very rewarding. We have a brand new team this year, a lot of our seniors graduated last year, and it was a very big adjustment for them to balance academics and cheer and then their social life. So, what often happened was their social life and cheer started intertwining and then your cheer friends become your friends.
Q: What message would you like to convey to the Maties Sport community about cheerleading?
A: That Maties Cheerleading are not only there for rugby and Varsity Cup. We’re there for other sports as well, we’re prepping for basketball season now.
But we’re also a sport on our own, we have our own competitions and tournaments and It’s very physically demanding. Cheerleading isn’t just dancing, its flips in the air, its tricks, its partner stunts. It’s not only sideline dances.
And I think the university is starting to see that. But I want more of that because we’re competing soon and I really want to show them that we are amazing hip-hop dancers.
Q: How can the community support the team in upcoming competitions?
A: Our next competitions are on 17th and 24th of May, followed by Provincials on 7th of June, and Nationals in Oudtshoorn in July. Details will be shared on social media platforms.
Additionally, something very special to mention is the Maties Women’s Rugby team appreciating our presence at their games, and I love that we can support them, and they support us. It’s a very special team, and they are doing amazing things. And the video we submitted for the Cheerleaders that Rocks competition was filmed at the women’s game not at the men’s game, so that’s very special to me.
