March 17, 2026
Generous Donation Brings New Uniforms to Leesburg High Band After Nearly Two Decades
By Kyle Coppola
Generous Donation Brings New Uniforms to Leesburg High Band After Nearly Two Decades
The Leesburg High School Swarm of Sound is stepping into a bold new chapter, donning fresh marching uniforms for the first time in nearly two decades as the Yellow Jackets aim to reclaim their place on the competitive stage.
After 19 years of wear and tear, held together in recent seasons by bobby pins, stitches and sheer determination, the band’s outdated uniforms are being replaced for the 2026 school year, marking a symbolic fresh start under the leadership of band director Brandon Mason.
“A new era is coming!” Brandon announced recently. “After 19 years the Swarm of Sound will be suiting up in new marching uniforms for the 2026 school year.”
The upgrade was made possible in large part by a generous donation from Church of the Lakes, whose support for Leesburg High School has been instrumental.
“Your support of Leesburg High School can never be overstated,” Brandon says, thanking the church.
The band is still welcoming additional community partners to help complete the project and fund other needs for the program. Businesses interested in contributing are encouraged to reach out directly.
The Swarm of Sound plans to showcase a sample of the new uniform at the next Leesburg Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, but a sneak peek is already available through concept art shared by the program.
Brandon Mason is a 2013 Leesburg High graduate and Stetson University. He returned to Leesburg this year to lead the band with a clear mission: restore the Yellow Jackets’ music program to prominence. He has deep ties in the community. Brandon was born and raised in Leesburg. While he initially pursued business at Stetson, a pivotal moment before his senior year of high school shifted his path.
“I wasn’t a ‘band nerd’ in high school,” Brandon recalled. “But I had this moment where I realized I wanted to give back through music. That’s when I switched to music education, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
After college, he taught elementary school music before joining Carver Middle School in Leesburg, where he spent years building a reputation for delivering some of the area’s most memorable band concerts. Now back at his alma mater, Brandon sees his role as more than just directing rehearsals.
“There’s something special about staying in one place and giving back to your hometown,” he says. “This is where I was raised. There’s no shortage of community support here.”
The new uniforms arrive as the Swarm of Sound have ramped up efforts to return to competition after a six-year hiatus. It’s all part of Brandon Mason’s vision to create lasting opportunities for students.
“This isn’t just about trophies,” Brandon emphasized. “It’s about giving kids the same experiences I had, moments that build pride and passion. This is about giving kids an opportunity to compete and make memories that will last a lifetime.”
The band also recently updated their logo after decades of use. “Goodbye MS Paint logo you will be missed” joked Brandon.
The new logo brings a fresh and modern take on the old logo with classic Leesburg colors but a fresh look that should really pop on the new uniforms. We look forward to seeing them during football season in August!
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
