Andrew Mahon/CFLca
TORONTO — Bradley Hladik is almost reaching a goal that every kid who falls in love with football dreams of.
The versatile UBC fullback/long snapper played the sport his entire life, competing with someone who is already living the dream in BC Lions linebacker Ben Hladik.
Now the younger Hladik brother is trying to write his own story in the CFL, one that had an important chapter in Winnipeg at the CFL Combine presented by New Era.
“It’s like a sense of accomplishment,” said Hladik about being around the best prospects in the nation. “It’s like, you made it here. It’s pretty cool. When you’re growing up, you always want to be a pro football player and then you’re close.”
The former Thunderbird sat down with CFL.ca to share more about his journey to the CFL Draft on April 30.
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The numbers
Height: six-foot-three
Weight: 245 pounds
Bench: 22 reps
40-yard dash: 5.00 seconds
Vertical: 32 inches
Broad jump: 9-feet, 1 inch
3 cone: 7.26 seconds
Shuttle: 4.52 seconds
Bittersweet ending
Hladik was part of a Thunderbirds team that finished the 2023 season with a bittersweet taste. UBC beat the Alberta Golden Bears 28-27 to capture the Hardy Cup on November 11 before losing another close game (16-9) against the Montreal Carabins in the Vanier Cup two weeks later.
“Pretty awesome to win the Hardy Cup with this dramatic ending, it was all amazing,” said the Vernon, B.C. native. “Then getting through the next round, it was cool to be in the Vanier. Cool to be at Queen’s and just hang out for a week of practice there. It was an awesome experience but we ended up losing, which was tough.”
The soon-to-be-rookie could almost feel the taste of the championship, but still relishes the experience of playing at the highest stage in U SPORTS.
“It was a close one. I thought we had it there for a bit and then just couldn’t get it done. But it was exciting.”
Hladik has played snaps at Tight End, fullback and long snapper for the UBC Thunderbirds (Andrew Mahon/CFL.ca)
Learning and competing with his brother Ben
The younger Hladik knew what to expect in Winnipeg, having helped his brother train in 2021 for the virtual combine, a feat that helped him go that extra mile and achieve good results himself.
“It was really cool to see how he trained as well, (it) made me train a little harder and just kept me going through like, these are the goals that I should be able to get.”
Fraternal competitions usually make for good athletes – as seen with Regina defensive back Jackson Sombach – and the Hladik brothers are no different. Unlike Sombach, however, Bradley is the younger brother, which means he didn’t always get the best of Ben.
“Usually he won. It was tough,” said the fullback with a smile. “There were a few things I could get him in, but not many.”
West Coast Football
The Hladik’s are already a big name in British Columbia football, with both brothers playing for the Thunderbirds and Ben starting his CFL career with the BC Lions. Bradley says that it would be a nice experience to reunite with his brother, but he’s ready to embrace any of the other eight cities should they call his name on April 30.
“It would be cool to play with him again, for sure. It would be awesome,” said Bradley. “But you never know where you’re gonna go. So if I get drafted there, it’d be amazing, but (if I get drafted) anywhere would still be amazing.”
