For junior tailback Iyen Addison, growing up in Bradford County came with one clear dream, to one day line up as the starting running back for the Tornadoes. That plan briefly detoured when he chose to play alongside his brother at another school as a freshman, but after a year away, Addison’s return to Bradford has been everything he hoped for and everything the Tornadoes needed.
“This is one of the best teams I’ve ever been on,” Addison said. “The guys have tremendous energy, we play together, we compete, and I love being a part of this group.”
Bradford has stormed through its schedule this fall, sitting at 8-1 heading into its regular-season finale against Santa Fe. Addison credits the team’s tempo and chemistry for their success.
“We want to be fast, maybe the fastest team ever,” Addison said. “The coaching staff has done a great job getting everyone to learn the system, and we just keep people off guard. It’s translated into a lot of wins.”
The Tornadoes’ only loss of the season came while Addison was sidelined with an ankle injury. The time away was tough, but he said the team’s athletic trainer, Brad Morgan, played a major role in getting him back on the field.
“Brad is awesome and such an asset to our team,” Addison said. “He gave me tons of treatment and made sure I did my therapy. If I didn’t have him around, I’m sure I would’ve missed even more time.”
Missing those games gave Addison a new appreciation for the sport he’s played since childhood.
“I may have taken football for granted a little bit, and not being out there for those three games really lit a fire under me,” he said. “I was ready to prove to myself I’m still here and can get the job done.”
Since returning, Addison has helped the Tornadoes average 36 points per game, including a career-high 262 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Leon last week. He’s quick to credit his offensive line for paving the way.
“Those are my guys - I love ’em,” Addison said. “I’m a patient runner, and it’s fun to ride their backs till the hole opens up, then I just hit it and go. It’s great having them blocking for me.”
Bradford will close its regular season at home, and Addison said there’s nothing like playing under the lights in Starke.
“There’s fireworks, confetti, and the whole town out there supporting us every Friday night,” he said. “It’s crazy how this small town feels like a big city on game days.”
With more than 130 rushing yards per game, Addison is turning heads from college programs and wants to keep playing football for as long as he can. He can now add another honor to his growing list of accolades, the UF Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Athlete of the Week.
Each weekly UF Health Athlete of the Week winner becomes eligible for the UF Health High School Athlete of the Year Scholarship, a $2,500 award presented at the end of the 2025–26 academic year.