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By Jed Blackwell

 

There are very few constants in life, but Mia Bradley’s name in a Polk County scorebook is one of them.

Bradley, a multi-sport standout for the Wolverines, has been penciled into a varsity lineup for Polk County an astounding 284 times now.

That’s 284 and counting, because she just keeps showing up.

Bradley was a key cog in the Wolverines’ back-to-back 1A state volleyball title teams, and she’ll continue her volleyball career at UVA-Wise. In her spare time, she was a gritty combo guard/forward for one of the best girls basketball squads in school history. And when THAT was over, she showed up for softball the very next day, resuming her spot at shortstop. Oh, and she competes in track as well.

Bradley, undoubtedly one of the few Wolverine athletes to ever start four years in three team sports, truly does a little bit of everything for Polk County.

“I just really enjoy it,” she said. “I like spending my time playing, hanging out with my teammates. I just really enjoy it, and I don’t really do anything else besides sports.”

At a school the size of Polk County, a rare athlete like Bradley who not only plays a number of sports but plays them really well is always a luxury. But she said there’s no sense of duty to play in her decision. She just really likes to be out there.

“I feel like it’s in the back of my mind, but it’s not why I play,” she said. “I contemplated not playing some, but it really came down to the fact I didn’t want to quit. It’s not about wanting to help all the teams I can because they need me or something, I just really enjoy it.”

Being well-rounded athletically is something that Bradley takes pride in, but what she enjoys most is the relationships she’s built with her teammates.

“I grew up playing everything,” she said. “I think as I’ve grown up I’ve met all these different girls, and it’s a different group of girls for every team I play on. Playing with them is just really fun.”

Those girls she’s played alongside have accomplished some remarkable things in the past four years -wins, records, championships. The legacy they’ll leave hasn’t fully dawned on Bradley just yet.

“I can’t say that I haven’t thought about it, but it doesn’t really feel real,” she said. “I’m really proud of the things that my teammates and I have done here. I know we’ve accomplished a lot.”

Volleyball is Bradley’s future, and she’s an outstanding player. But doing the gritty, tenacious, sometimes difficult things needed to contribute in basketball has her heart.

“I really enjoy volleyball,” she said. “I love it. But I’d say my favorite team has always been basketball. It’s what kept me playing it.

“I love all of my teammates, but with basketball, there’s just something about it. The teammates, the game itself – I never put a lot of pressure on myself. I just go out and have fun. I think in high school, it’s been my favorite.”

Those relationships, both with teammates and coaches, are what have kept Bradley interested in athletics.

“That’s what really hooked me to begin with,” she said. “I’m also a really competitive person, and I take pride in working hard.”

Now, as her high school career winds down and the number of games and events she’s participated in inches ever closer to 300, Bradley is trying to just soak it all in.

“The last few weeks have been stressful for sure,” she said. “I’m just trying to enjoy it. It’s getting a little bit to where I’m ready to graduate and move on, but I’m just trying to really enjoy my last couple of weeks here.”

There’s no secret where those last few weeks will be spent.

She’ll be somewhere in a lineup.