Photo by Todd Lester.
Spain Park’s Brock Bradley, the 2024 Under the Lights All-South Metro Player of the Year, returns for his senior season. He is shown at a preseason photo shoot at Heardmont Park on July 10.
When Tim Vakakes was hired as the head football coach at Spain Park High School in late 2021, Brock Bradley was in eighth grade.
Bradley had ambitions to not only become the Spain Park quarterback one day, but to make his mark.
Upon the new head coach meeting the student-athlete who would do just that in a couple years’ time, Bradley had a message for the program’s new coach that gave insight into a maturity beyond his years.
Vakakes recalled, “When I first met him in eighth grade, he said, ‘Coach, I want to change this place with you. When I leave, I want it to be a different Spain Park football program.’”
Even at that age, Bradley had visions of resurrecting Spain Park football, a program that had failed to make the playoffs four straight years at the time.
Bradley has delivered on his mission, leading Spain Park to its first unbeaten regular season in program history in 2024 and an appearance in the Class 6A quarterfinals. He’s now looking to finish his career on a high note as he leads the Jags through his senior season.
Leading the ascent
Jags fans got a glimpse of what was coming toward the end of the 2022 season, as Bradley earned some playing time in the final few games of his freshman season.
Bradley became the full-time starter as a sophomore, throwing for 1,800 yards and 22 touchdowns and leading the Jags to a 7-3 record.
He took the next step as a junior, winning the Under the Lights All-South Metro Player of the Year honor after throwing for 2,667 passing yards and 32 touchdowns, adding six rushing touchdowns as well.
“I was definitely talented enough to make plays. And you go back and watch the film, I did make a lot of plays as a freshman,” Bradley said. “But being a three-year starter, the game moves at a much slower pace mentally for me.”
This year, the Jags’ offense has retooled around Bradley. The Spain Park offense lost the majority of its production from last fall and Bradley has been tasked with leading a unit with plenty of new faces.
Vakakes has also noticed how much the game has seemed to slow down for Bradley, given all his experience. The coach also noted how nice it is to have his familiar signal caller at the forefront of this year’s new-look offense.
“The main constant, the common denominator, is Brock,” Vakakes said. “He’s going to keep us in it and give us a chance every week.”
Achieving goals
Brock Bradley has long had dreams beyond his high school playing days as well. As long as he can remember, playing college football at a high level has been something he has strived toward.
Bradley will be the second quarterback in recent years to follow the path of Birmingham-metro high school standout to the Clemson University quarterback room. Christopher Vizzina, who started for four years just down the road at Briarwood Christian School, is currently Clemson’s second-string quarterback.
Photo by Barry Stephenson.
Spain Park quarterback Brock Bradley (5) rolls out with Hoover defensive end Justyn Hartley (0) in pursuit during a game between Hoover High School and Spain Park on Aug. 29 at Spain Park High School.
Getting the offer from Clemson cemented Bradley’s future plans.
“I'm super blessed to be in this position, and to finally get that on paper was honestly a pretty special moment for me and my family,” he said.
His family has been a key part of his journey along the way as well. Vakakes runs a program at Spain Park dedicated to inspiring, molding and building character among the players he gets the opportunity to coach.
But when those traits begin even before players get to the high school program, it makes a coach’s job that much more enjoyable.
“They’re really, really good people,” Vakakes said of Bradley’s parents, Scott and Kathy. “He’s not a good kid because we’ve been coaching him. He’s a good kid because of how he’s been raised.”
Leaving a legacy
On the field, Bradley has continued to improve. He has gotten better at handling situations when the play breaks down, being able to extend plays with his feet and make throws on the run. Vakakes has noticed Bradley’s timing on his throws has gotten even more precise as he’s developed.
While the physical talent is prevalent, the intangible things Bradley brings to the table are arguably just as important and impressive.
Bradley has been forced into being more of a leader this season, with so many of the team’s surrounding skill players new to prominent roles.
“He’s a professional in a high school body,” Vakakes said. “He hates when he’s wrong. He hates when he messes up. He’s just trying to navigate the newness of the guys out there.”
Bradley will continue to those around him to constantly improve as the 2025 season rolls along. He will be firmly planted in the conversation among Spain Park greats, even in a time that player movement has become almost normalized. Bradley planted roots and has stuck around to see the results.
“I was a Spain Park kid growing up,” he said. “The place felt special to me. Maybe there was a better opportunity for me somewhere else, who knows? I don’t know that. But what I do know is I believe in the people at Spain Park.”
“He’ll go down as one of the best in school history. There’s been a lot of good ones here, but he’ll go down as one of the best,” Vakakes said.
