Rebuilding Like a Head Coach: What Leadership Looks Like When It’s All on You
When Brannon Snead stepped into a struggling rural police department in Bunnell, Florida, he didn’t walk in with a title—he walked in with a mission. As the new police chief, he was also the janitor, mentor, strategist, and motivator. In this blog, we break down how his law enforcement leadership mirrored the mentality of a head coach rebuilding a broken program from scratch. From securing grants and writing policy to leading by example and training the next leader, this post explores how true leadership blends structure, humility, and relentless accountability. If you’re building culture with limited resources, this is what it really looks like.
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Rebuilding Like a Head Coach: What Leadership Looks Like When It’s All on You
The Role No One Sees: Behind the Badge, Behind the Desk
When Brannon Snead accepted the position as police chief in Bunnell, Florida, he didn’t inherit a well-oiled machine—he inherited a mess. The department was understaffed, underfunded, and operating without clear direction. Most would’ve seen it as a dead-end. Brannon saw it as an opportunity.
But this wasn’t leadership in a boardroom. This was hands-on, boots-on-the-ground rebuilding. And it wasn’t about title or ego. It was about taking responsibility for everything.
“In a department like that, you’re not just the chief. You’re the head coach, the janitor, the everything.”
What’s the toughest leadership challenge you’ve ever stepped into? Drop your story in the comments on the full video.
From Highway Patrol to Rebuilding a Department
Brannon brought with him experience from the Florida Highway Patrol, including command school training that taught him how to build departments from the ground up. But theory alone wouldn’t fix broken morale or failing systems.
He pulled out old manuals. He rewrote policies. He chased down grants. He worked 3 weeks straight to get momentum rolling. He didn’t manage from a desk—he led from every corner of the building.
This wasn’t law enforcement leadership.
This was program development—just like rebuilding a losing team.
Coaching Lessons in a Law Enforcement Role
What made Brannon’s approach different? He didn’t think like a bureaucrat—he thought like a coach.
Structure first. Get the foundation in place.
Put good people in position. Then train them up.
Know when it’s time to step back. And leave it better than you found it.
When he eventually left the department, he left it in the hands of someone he trusted—someone he trained. Just like a coach hands a team off to a new staff, knowing the system will hold.
Leadership Means Doing the Dirty Work
Brannon didn’t walk in as a savior. He walked in ready to sweep floors if that’s what it took.
“It all falls on you.”
And he owned that from day one.
He didn’t just restore systems. He restored culture. That’s the piece most people miss in leadership—systems don’t fix people. Culture does.
And culture starts with example.
The Sore to Soaring Mission: Leadership You Can Feel
At Sore to Soaring, we believe leadership is about what you carry when no one else will. Whether you're coaching athletes or leading departments, the mindset is the same:
Take full responsibility.
Build systems that outlast you.
Lead like it’s personal—because it is.
We train athletes, coaches, and future leaders to bring the same energy Brannon brought to Bunnell: structure, humility, clarity, and presence.
🌍 Learn more about how we train real-world leaders:
👉 https://www.soretosoaring.org
Disclaimer:
The content shared is for informational purposes only. This is not a judgment of any person or program mentioned. All names and events are discussed from personal memory and are not meant to accuse or endorse. The goal is to share insight from lived experience.
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