Brad Clarke learned early on about the importance of strong leaders in a community. Raised by a strong grandmother – who raised 12 children, worked for 25 years at Ketterlinus Junior High, and was the unofficial mother to many kids and a pillar of the community – Brad Clarke had a lot of people looking out for him. As a middle-schooler, he started playing basketball as an alternative to what he called “dangerous, idle times.” By the time he graduated from Englewood High School in Jacksonville, he had a full scholarship to the city’s Edward Waters College. After a very successful college basketball career, complete with honors such as Best Male Athlete, All Conference Team, and All-American Mentioning, Brad graduated with a degree in business administration. His dream of playing professional basketball was not realized immediately, so he worked in sales for a few years. But his love of basketball never left him.
“The little round ball followed me everywhere I went,” he says. “No matter where I went, I would find a place to play basketball.” Three years after graduation, he landed his first pro contract with the ABA team The Rainy Knights of Georgia. The contract only lasted for a few months, however, as the team eventually folded. Brad then came home to Jacksonville and played for the Jacksonville Jam and finally the Jacksonville Giants, both ABA teams.
During those years as a player, Brad learned a great deal about managing teams — the right ways and the wrong ways. He also saw so many youths in the communities with no leadership or activities that taught responsibility and community involvement. This gave him the idea to start development and coaching clinics geared towards kids.
When the leadership of the ABA approached Brad to become an owner, he was uncertain at first. “I prayed for a solid month before making my decision.” In April 2017, he agreed and became the owner of the newly-formed St. Augustine Glory. In November 2017, the team played its first game.
Brad structured the team’s mission around what the Glory could bring to St. Augustine. He saw an opportunity to step in and be a support system for law enforcement, educators, ministers, and other community leaders by working in conjunction with those organizations to create activities that would keep kids out of trouble.
The team plays in various gymnasiums around St. Johns County right now, from Flagler all the way out to Palatka and even at the Ketterlinus gym on Orange Street. Does he hope the team will have a facility of its own one day? That’s not his focus right now. The main goal for the Glory is to build a team that the community can be excited about supporting and that the team, in turn, can work with the community to build strong programs and events for kids.
Brad has been told by visiting ABA scouts that every time they come to a Glory game, they leave feeling positive and uplifted. To Brad, that is all the glory he needs.
Learn more about the St. Augustine Glory at www.saglory.com. Photography by David Steele.
