First his dad, then his brothers and now him. 

After countless hours of afternoon training and late nights studying the game, it was his turn to wear the number 12.

Junior Brady Brock became the football team’s starting quarterback this year. He is ranked fifth in 6A Region I District 5 for passing yards and seventh for total yards. It’s his first year competing at the varsity level.

Brady is the second youngest in his family with three older brothers who were all involved with sports. He grew up following their lead and started playing tackle football in fourth grade. As he tried out basketball, baseball and soccer in middle school, he said the only sport that stuck out to him was football. He was the backup quarterback for the eighth-grade team at Killian, and when the starting quarterback obtained an injury, he was called up.

“[What stuck out to me about football] was the mental toughness of it all,” Brady said. “Throughout the years, it’s been getting more mentally tough. Having a strong mentality is key, and not only [in] football, but in life in general.”

In high school, Brady played on the freshman team, then moved up to JV Black his sophomore year. His dad and all three of his brothers played football at the high school level, with his oldest brother competing at the collegiate level at Southern Nazarene University. He said his family is his prime motivator in the midst of it all.

“Brady and I shared a room for the first half of our lives,” Brady’s brother, Griffin Brock, said. “I consider Brady one of my best friends and I love this stage of life for him. I’m so proud of seeing him become the varsity quarterback, because I know how much he’s worked for it throughout his whole life.”

The summer going into each school year determines where each player stands in terms of team placement and position. This past summer, Brady had to compete against other potential quarterbacks during training. He specifically focused on learning new plays and running them against defenses, all while being evaluated by the coaches for the final spot.

“I’ve always had a struggle trying to keep my composure through ups and downs,” Brady said. “This summer, it was hard to battle against a bunch of other quarterbacks to get the starting job. Every day I felt like I had to be on top of my game no matter what, and truthfully, I did, but it was definitely a setback to have that in the back of my head that maybe I [wouldn’t] be able to be the starter of the sport that I love.”

Along with training at school, Brady has a personal trainer. During the off-season, they watch and study NFL quarterbacks and practice techniques on the field. During the season, they re-watch his own film while his trainer critiques him. Brady said all his coaches have been great leaders. 

“Brady is smart, and he has a great command of our offense,” head football coach John Towels said. “He’s going to call the play correctly. He’s going to run the play the way he’s been coached to run it. You want a leader out on the field who has command of what you’re doing and is going to do the right thing, and Brady epitomizes that. That’s how he won the job.”

The outcome of the first game was positive, with Brady scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against Jesuit and ultimately winning the game 31-3. He’s led the team to a 2-2 district record to place fifth. In order to make it to playoffs, the team has to be in the top four.

“It was really exciting [getting the position],” Brady said. “I was ready, but there was also a lot of pressure. But going into the first game, I knew it was just another game, and no matter what happened, I still knew my worth and I knew that one game wouldn’t define me. I was really happy.”

The number 12 is more than a two-digit number to the Brock family. The tradition began when Brady’s dad wore the number in high school after his favorite NFL player Tom Brady. All his brothers played with the number at one point in their playing career, and Griffin Brock said the number represents their family.

“He’s always very determined to get it done on the field, [and] he’s determined to win,” Griffin said. “He sets his mind on it, and he doesn’t waver from that at school. He’s determined to have good grades. He’s determined to deepen a relationship with [his friends], [and] with Christ. It shows in every part of his life.”

Brady balances AP and Dual-Credit classes with daily football practices. Afternoon practices end at 5:30 p.m., and he doesn’t get home until around 6 p.m., where he eats dinner, does his homework and studies football. Beyond high school, Brady said he wants to pursue college football and is open to taking any chance he gets. 

“[Football has] helped me see there’s more than just the game,” Brady said. “My leadership has grown a lot [by] being able to stand out and lead people through adversity. I [try] my best to take that into real life, and that has had a major impact on my life.”

This story was originally published on The Hawk Eye on October 22, 2025.