Get to Know HFC: Coach Kirk Bradley
This story is one in a series about HFC employees. If you would like to nominate yourself or a colleague to be featured in this series, email communications@hfcc.edu with the person's name and a short statement about why you are nominating them.
The most valuable lessons Kirk Bradley, the assistant coach of the HFC Men’s Basketball Team, has learned in his lifetime have been through athletics.
“Being part of a team and giving everything you have to a common goal will teach you about things like sacrifice, resilience, humility, and love. Being able to work with young people and use basketball to help them grow into great husbands, fathers, employees, friends, and neighbors seems like the best way I could spend my life,” said Bradley, of Livonia.
A 2003 alumnus of Franklin High School in Livonia, Bradley went on to attend Eastern Michigan University (EMU), where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English/Secondary Education. He completed some graduate coursework at Marygrove College in Detroit.
For 11 years, Bradley has been an English teacher at John Glenn High School in Westland. At John Glenn, he was served as assistant coach for the varsity basketball team for nine years. He’s also been the head coach of the Michigan Mustangs, a basketball team in the Athletic Amateur Union (AAU). For five summers, he coached basketball at Snow Valley Basketball School in Waverly, IA. In addition, Bradley served on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Youth Basketball Association for six years.
A deep love of the game
Since 2019, Bradley has been the assistant coach at HFC, working with head coach Chris Shepard.
“Coach Shepard and I both have an obsession with basketball. We've known each other for 6 years, and I have always had a lot of respect for him as a coach and person. In the two years before joining his staff, I would sometimes come to and observe practices or games and steal some ideas for my own team,” said Bradley. “Coach Shepard has been an incredible mentor to me. I am very appreciative of him for helping me build my skills in all areas of running a basketball program (recruiting, player development, strategy, team building, academic scheduling/monitoring, budgeting). He has done an amazing job here at HFC, and I am grateful to be part of his staff.”
Shepard is grateful to have Bradley as an assistant coach.
“Kirk is an absolute star. He works harder than anyone I have ever been around. His commitment to our student athletes is something special,” said Shepard.
A strong desire to help HFC student athletes reach their goals
A long-term goal of Bradley’s is to become a head coach at the junior college level. At the moment, he is fully invested in helping Shepard and the basketball program at HFC.
“We have some amazing kids in our program, and I really want to help them reach their goals,” said Bradley.
According to Bradley, the faculty and staff at HFC have been welcoming and helpful. HFC President Russell Kavalhuna and HFC Athletic Director Rochelle Taylor have truly supported the basketball team, which is vert important to building and maintaining a successful program.
“A lot of our job is actually helping students get enrolled, making sure their financial aid documents are submitted, and ensuring that they have the proper credits to transfer and play at the next level (NCAA or NAIA). The people in those offices have been incredibly helpful also; I've been able to learn a lot from them,” he said.
“Coach Bradley is truly student-focused,” said Taylor. “He goes over and beyond to put our students first. He's been a great addition to our basketball staff.”