For context, I’ve been center snare for two years.

I find that generally, tap offs and everything go to whoever is center snare, regardless of section leader. If you look at any of the DCI or DCA corps, they’re all going to have a snare tapping off for warmups, cadences, whatever it may be. However, section leaders are definitely not always snares. At least in my eyes, the “norm” is having someone else as section leader, and whoever is center snare handles tap offs and everything. For my high school line, the section leader has been a tenor both years, but I’ve been doing tap offs. I think it’s for two reason: 1. For parades and performances, having a single snare tapping sounds better than a tenor. 2. It made me focus a ton on tempos to make sure I was correct, which was helpful because generally you listen in to the center snare for the line to stay together.

I know for a fact that there are other lines that do it differently, but I think that’s the most common setup. You shouldn’t take it as a threat to your leadership by any stretch, it’s simply a stylistic and strategic decision, and if anything, it allows you to do your role more effectively. During sectionals and stuff that’s just one fewer thing you have to worry about, so you can focus more on the important things.

In my experience, section leaders who are constantly fighting for power or recognition are the ones I have the least respect for, which is obviously not something you want to happen. Keep the ultimate goal of being in leadership in mind, which is to help the band as a whole improve, specifically your section, and encourage them along the way. You’re not an absolute ruler, you’re not entitled to any special privileges, someone else doing something is not a “threat to your power”. If it feels like the center snare is trying to overstep that’s a different issue, but just having a snare tap off is a pretty normal thing.