- December 13, 2025
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In a 7 1/2-minute show at the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit state championship Nov. 8 in West Orange High in Winter Garden, the Braden River High School marching band worked on convincing judges they were pirates sailing the seas and swabbing decks with their hair blowing in the ocean wind.
They obviously succeeded.
The Pirates were awarded the Grand Champion title along with the 3A Class championship and the Best in Class for 3A color guard and percussion.
It was Braden River's first attempt at winning a FFCC state title as it decided to compete with that organization instead of the traditional Florida Marching Band Championships, which were held the same day at Florida International University.
The Pirates won the Florida Marching Band Championships Division 2 title in 2024.
No matter which organization is hosting the event, Braden River sophomore Paityn Carr, who plays flute, said she gets extremely stressed at major events.
But halfway through the performance of “Winds of Change” in the FFCC finals, she took a deep breath and let herself enjoy it.
“I struggle with making sure I'm perfect all the time," Carr said. "I'll make little mistakes because I'm overthinking, and then I tumble and tumble.
"Then I realized it's not even that big of a deal.”
Don't tell that to all her 76 fellow musicians and members of the color guard.
“I'm happy for the kids ... It's a relief,” said Clifford Dawson, Braden River's band director. “It's validation for hard work. If we do the absolute best we can, then the results should speak for themselves.”
Dawson said it was great to see his students conquer their fears and stay focused to accomplish their goals. He compared keeping the kids on track to bowling with the bumpers.
“Somebody gets a little too far over there, we try to just keep bumping them back into the middle and kind of keep them on course,” Dawson said.
Dawson has been the band director since 2021 and said this year was a year to reinvent the program. He said they have traditionally competed in the Florida Marching Band Coalition, but decided to switch to the FFCC.
Dawson said he sometimes finds it difficult not to be critical when watching his band perform, but he did find himself just sitting back and enjoying the performance during the finals.
Carr described winning the competition as surreal and bittersweet. She was proud of herself and the rest of the band for working so hard, but despite being full of nerves, she didn’t want the competition to be over.
“Band kids are so kind and loving, and they love you at every point, when you're anxious or when you're super happy,” Carr said.
Eva Abraham, a senior and co-captain in color guard, was thrilled with their championship.
“I would just say it's a matter of how much you want it,” Abraham said. “If you want to win and make friends ... if you put the effort into it, you can do it.”
She credits the band program for helping her to get out of her shell, to gain leadership skills and to express herself. She said she did her best to keep herself and her teammates motivated.
“Everyone was happy with the run, and people literally came off the field crying because the run was so good,” Abraham said.
“I think this year specifically, we were all motivated to try our best,” said Braxton Taylor, a junior who plays mellophone. “We were out there to win.”
Taylor looks forward to next year and hopes to help strengthen the band for similar results in the coming years. He said it is important to be patient and understanding and take constructive criticism to advance each member’s skills.
“We can always do better, and we have always strived to push ourselves to excellence,” Taylor said. “We won last year and now we're here, and I think that just shows that persistence is key in what we do.”
Alexander Hidalgo, a sophomore who plays trumpet, said he has flat feet so marching hurts, but that doesn’t stop him from doing his best.
He said he appreciates how everyone can come together and “create such a powerful and emotional atmosphere and sound.”
“It’s a powerful feeling, being able to collaborate with everyone at once, and holding the same goal to be the state champion,” Hidalgo said. “It’s a very cool feeling.”
Dawson said he hopes to have Braden River start competing in the national circuit, not just in state competitions.
“I want them to enjoy learning because to me, music isn't the end all of what we do,” Dawson said. “I want to teach them about music, but also to try to help these kids find their place in life. I try to give them some life skills, things that you know give them a chance to be in a safe space.”
