The Wiregrass Ranch Marching Bulls have been hard at work creating their show for the upcoming competition season. Last season, the band was unable to compete due to the 2020 Florida Marching Band circuit being cancelled and the 2019 State Champions are eager to defend their title. This season the band is under new direction after a challenging start to the season, including being without a director for a full month.

While awaiting their new director, Thomas Griffing, a band parent stepped in to serve as a guest teacher. He along with science teacher and band show designer, Branden Anglin, helped keep the band focused and productive until a new director could be hired.

Garett Clifford, a former Wiregrass alumnus, returned to the Ranch to take on this role in late September.

“My goals are to grow the program and foster an environment where students feel safe and can express themselves through music,” Clifford said.

Clifford and the Marching Bulls will begin their competition season this weekend and have high expectations for the new show.

“I believe one of the amazing facts about this year is that we simply get to perform as an ensemble again and put on a show. We get to step onto that field and convey a message that we all believe in and that many people in our audience will be able to relate to as well,” Clifford explained. “Many students will be able to find a personal connection to our show and be able to portray what that means to them through our performances this season.”

This year’s show is entitled Prism.

“It is about the fact that a prism can take a single beam of white light and turn it into this beautiful spectrum of colors,” Anglin explained. “It is also about our ability to find the light within during a dark time, and use that light to create a more beautiful tomorrow.”