BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — The Pride of Broken Arrow is on its way to Indianapolis for the Bands of America Grand National Championship.
They had one final send-off show at Memorial Stadium Tuesday night with people bringing non-perishable food items to benefit the local organization, Broken Arrow Neighbors (BA Neighbors).
Band Director Darrin Davis says students worked for nearly five months to prepare “Edge of Eternity”.
“To see these young kids giving literally their heart, blood, sweat and tears into what they are putting into their performance, makes me as a teacher just as proud as I can be,” Davis said.
Davis says its been two years since they’ve seen a championship because of the pandemic and three years since the Pride of Broken Arrow competed in it.
“Marching band and activities are back... just to be back and performing again is emotional for these students,” Davis says.
Broken Arrow senior Austin Mears, who is on the drum line, couldn’t agree more.
“This show is pretty much in honor of everything we couldn’t do last year,” added Mears.
The Pride of Broken Arrow is a 15-time Grand National Finalist and is the 2006, 2011 and 2015 Grand National Champion. All those wins though, not going to anyone’s head.
“We don’t measure our experience on a placement, we measure it by the quality of the experience that we have along the way,” Davis says.
“I hope we can bring home the win but if we can’t that’s not what this is all about for us,” Mears concluded.
FOX23 wishes them all the best!