When it comes to grassroots sports in Texas, few names ring out like Coach Jonathan Brannon. This man’s been putting in serious work with the youth for years—putting players in position to win on and off the field. He’s more than just a coach; he’s a mentor, a motivator, and for a lot of these kids, a lifeline. Some of his players have gone on to play college ball, and a few even made it to the pros, but what’s most impressive is how he keeps it real and rooted in the community. We had the chance to sit down with Coach Brannon to chop it up about his journey, what keeps him going, and the impact he’s making in these young athletes’ lives.
BigTmusic.com: What’s up Coach Brannon? How’s life been treating you man?
Coach Brannon: What’s going on Tuck? Life is good. I can’t complain man.
BigTmusic.com: Great to hear brother! You have been coaching for a while now. How long have you been in the coaching game?
Coach Brannon: I’ve been coaching for about 15 years or so. I took a break to focus on myself but I’m starting to get that itch again. I was at a game the other day and it was a great feeling.
BigTmusic.com: Properly timed breaks and rest are essential in sports, so we understand the reasoning behind that. Was there a specific turning point where you realized coaching was your true calling?
Coach Brannon: I would say the turning point for me came my first year of being a head football coach. Shoutout to Coach Dean for giving me that opportunity. That season showed me how much I enjoyed all the details that go into coaching. Coaching takes a lot out of you because you give a lot. So if your heart’s not in it, I wouldn’t advise anyone to jump into it.
BigTmusic.com: That’s great advise. As a young coach, what’s your philosophy when it comes to working with kids or young athletes?
Coach Brannon: My philosophy has always been, show up, be present in the moment, and work hard.
BigTmusic.com: We can hear you screaming words of encouragement now on the field! Speaking of field, what are all the sports you actually coach?
Coach Brannon: I’ve pretty much coached everything from football, basketball, soccer, track, and cross country.
BigTmusic.com: That’s a huge range in sports coached! With that said, what’s the biggest lesson you try to instill in the young people you mentor, both on and off the field/court?
Coach Brannon: I love that question Tuck, because the life lessons I would instill in my athletes is one of the reasons I love coaching. Discipline and getting better every day is what I preach to my boys. If they can be disciplined even in the tough times, it will lead to them being successful in the future.
BigTmusic.com: You’re right about discipline being needed to improve everyday. With your heavy influence in the community—what does that responsibility mean to you?
Coach Brannon: It means a lot, I try to carry myself with high level of professionalism to be a role model, not only to the boys I’ve coached but to everyone in my community.
BigTmusic.com: We’ve been seeing a bunch of animated Coach Brannon videos online circulating telling stories! They have been dope. Tell us more about how the idea came about and what your plans for the character are.
Coach Brannon: One day I was chopping it up with a former coach of mine, and we were reminiscing over old coaching stories and having a blast. He was like JB people need to hear these stories. I plan to keep telling the stories to anyone who will listen, and wherever that takes me, I will kick my feet up and enjoy the ride.
BigTmusic.com: When you all were reminiscing about coaching stories, did you ever get a feeling of there is more to be done out there on the field from you?
Coach Brannon: Yes, there’s always more to be done when it involves impacting the youth. Who knows, maybe I will be back out there soon.
BigTmusic.com: Have you ever come across any former students or parents and you instantly remember a story about them?
Coach Brannon: Tuck that’s like every day, any time I’m in a store I hear a former athlete or someone who knows me from coaching call my name.
BigTmusic.com: Those kids recognize their coach! Have any of your former players gone pro or gotten close?
Coach Brannon: I’ve coached DeMarvin Leal who plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Rashad Wisdom who’s played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I have coached multiple athletes who played at a high level in college though, like Chris Mills, Anthony Evans, Treylin Payne, and most notably Frank Harris.
BigTmusic.com: That’s amazing! Do you still keep in touch with any of these players?
Coach Brannon: Yeah, I keep in contact with some of them. Frank Harris still owes me a rematch in a shooting contest. I was off that day, but Tuck you know I can shoot. He only beat me because he had his brother Darrell on his team, and they weren’t missing. I coached his brother Darrell too, then hired him to coach for me.
BigTmusic.com: What made some of those athletes that you’ve coached who ultimately made it to the highest levels of competition so different from their peers when you coached them?
Coach Brannon: I would say some are naturally gifted, but most of them had great parents who kept them on the right path.
BigTmusic.com: Were any of the athletes you’ve coached who went on to play college ball or the pros late bloomers? Meaning, they may not have had the talent or drive at the younger age when you coached them, but as they got older, they matured into their destiny to compete at a higher level.
Coach Brannon: You always have late bloomers. None that I can remember playing in the pros though. Some of my hardest working kids were on the B team and went on to play varsity in high school. Hard work always beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
BigTmusic.com: Facts! What sport has the biggest challenges when coaching?
Coach Brannon: I would have to say the biggest challenges come from football. Football is a tough sport. It has a lot of different factors and elements that make it more challenging than other sports in my opinion. It says a lot about a kid that will show up every day and give 100 percent effort during a football season. That kid will be successful if he adopts that same mentality to life.
BigTmusic.com: We remember you from your rapping days when your verses were heard bumping through the streets. Do your players or the youth in your community ever bring up your rap career? How do you handle that part of your past?
Coach Brannon: G-Oni could spit, couldn’t he?! Man, I miss those days. It was never a secret and kids always seemed to find out. I would tell my boys that the passion I had for rapping was nothing compared to the passion I have for coaching now.
BigTmusic.com: If you could give advice to your younger rapper self, what would you say?
Coach Brannon: I would tell young G-Oni, don’t waste time doing something now that’s not going to lead to anything in the future.
BigTmusic.com: How do you use your past experiences in music and life to motivate and connect with your players?
Coach Brannon: Sometimes kids can look at teachers and coaches like they’re not real people. Whenever a kid found out that I used to rap, it would make them relate to me even more. They would see me as being real and a lot of the time it would strengthen the bond I had with that kid.
BigTmusic.com: That is deep man. What has coaching taught you about yourself that music never could?
Coach Brannon: Coaching has taught me a lot about life. I’ve seen real life situations during my years coaching. Things that have made me laugh and also things that have hurt my heart. There have been athletes I’ve coached that have gone on to do great things, and others who are no longer with us. The music was cool, I enjoyed it. But leading young men to be successful in life, there’s no greater feeling than that.
BigTmusic.com: Looking back, do you feel your true calling to coach was meant to happen?
Coach Brannon: God doesn’t make mistakes Tuck, and according to his plan, it was meant for me to be a coach. So, if God put that on my plate, it was my mission to lead young men to be great.
BigTmusic.com: What kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind, both as a coach and as someone who continues to uplift his community?
Coach Brannon: I hope that anyone I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach knows that I always wanted the best for them. I want people to remember me as a coach that coached hard, demanded respect and had a great love of all his athletes. Giving a kid structure and discipline, while also showing them you care can change the way a kid looks at life. If you don’t remember me for anything else, remember me as the fiery short coach that was going to give you his all while getting the best out of you.
BigTmusic.com: As we wrap up, last question. Who are some of the coaches and people you worked with who inspired you the most?
Coach Brannon: Coach Baker gave me my start in coaching and I learned a lot from him. Coach Chris Dean gave me my first opportunity at being a head football coach, and he helped prepare me for everything that came along with it. In coaching, you always need your #2. That guy that will always have your back, and for me that was Coach Belzung. Last but not least, one of the coaches I admired and learned a lot from was Coach Tiffany Lopez. To be a great coach you need other coaches that will motivate you to be better. The way Coach Lopez ran her program inspired me to match her level of vigor and intensity. I love that woman!
Follow Coach Brannon on social media for training tips, updates, and inspiration:
- 📸 Instagram: @g_oniboy
- 📘 Facebook: Coach Brannon on Facebook
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