Christian Gugliotta is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Sierra Linda High School for AZPreps365.com

Oct. 24 will be a night the 37 members of the Sierra Linda High School marching band will never forget. The Bulldogs made history at Hamilton High School, winning the AzMBA Central Region Championships and sweeping every caption award in the competition.

It marked the first clean sweep in the history of the 1A division, with Sierra Linda taking first place in all five categories: Music, Visual, General Effect, Auxiliary and Percussion.

Behind the historic achievement is a group of students who have spent countless hours working together, guided by a philosophy that goes beyond winning competitions. For band director Ricardo Laborin, who has led the program since 2018, the most important thing is not the score, but the effort his students put into their performances.

“I really don't care about the number, as long as they walk off the field feeling good,” Laborin said. “Who cares about the numbers? Just try your best and we'll see what happens after.”

For its members, the marching band is much more than just a musical group. America Dias, a senior and the band's drum major, has spent the past four years growing alongside her teammates.

“It has become my whole life,” Dias said. “We are here basically every day, even on the weekends. It has already become my second family.”

Being part of the band, however, also means making sacrifices. With practices taking place almost every day, including weekends, finding time for friends and other activities can be hard.

“It can be really mentally challenging,” Dias said. “Sometimes it interferes with my education, also because I'm involved in multiple other activities, so it does take a lot of time. As a senior there's a lot of activities going on and being here for the band on weekends sometimes can be a little upsetting, but it's always worth it.”

America Dias during a marching band competition. (Photo courtesy of Sierra Linda High School)

For Ian Flores, a senior who has been part of the marching band since his freshman year, being part of the group means learning how to balance different commitments. Alongside marching band, he also plays football, juggling practices for both teams throughout the week.

Despite the demanding schedule, Flores says he enjoys marching band even more than football. The two activities have taught him the importance of teamwork, but the recent victory at the Central Region Championships made the experience particularly special.

“It was an amazing feeling for me, because the week before for football we won our region,” Flores said. “It was a great moment for me to be a two-time region champion.”

Ian Flores, a senior member of the Sierra Linda marching band. (Photo courtesy of Sierra Linda High School)

Being part of the band, however, goes far beyond competitions. For Laborin, it is a true learning experience, and his goal is to teach students lessons that will serve them well in every aspect of their lives.

“They're learning hard work, teamwork, dedication, schedule management, time management,” Laborin said. “They really got to know how to do all those things, because we try to train them for life, whether that's getting a job, at school, if they're going to be pursuing music or not.”

Successes like the one achieved at the AzMBA Central Region Championships make all the hours of work and sacrifices worth it.

“When I saw them Saturday high-fiving and cheering each other on, that made it worth it because I walked off the field the same way,” Laborin said. “I was super excited. I was jacked up. I was yelling. I was screaming because I was so happy about it. So those are the moments that make it all worth it for me.”

Ricardo Laborin, director of the Sierra Linda marching band  (photo courtesy of Air.Wicks.Pics)

As the band's director, Laborin puts his heart and soul into the program. His work begins as early as January, when he starts selecting the music and planning the show that will shape the students' entire year. Months of preparation follow, from leadership camps to weeks of summer rehearsals. Even after the season begins, he is constantly looking for ways to improve.

“I don't really sleep well at night because I'm thinking, what else can we get better at? What can we improve on?” Laborin said.

What's truly impressive is the mindset Laborin instills in his students. Listening to his students, it's hard not to be amazed by their dedication, passion and the sacrifices they make every day for the love of the band. Despite their young age, they are constantly looking for ways to improve, and their latest success has done little to change that mentality.

The next goal for the Sierra Linda marching band is already clear. The Bulldogs will have another opportunity to compete for a title at the AzMBA Championships on Nov. 14. Despite already being crowned Central Region Champions, they are not satisfied yet. As both Laborin and Flores have made very clear: the job is not done.