After returning to the UK in 1946, at the age of 24 Bradley took up athletics, immediately giving up cigarettes and undertaking a vigorous training regime.
In 1951, Bradley became a training partner for Eric Cumming, the champion Australian professional athlete who was on a 10-week preparation for the Powderhall sprint.
Cumming was indebted to Bradley's advice as he became the first and still the only Australian athlete to win the famous race in 1952 off the tight handicap of two yards on a track covered in snow.
After running several fund raising efforts including dance nights, the Albany Athletic Club had its own clubrooms and gym equipment.
Young briefly coached Allan Wells who used the Jim Bradley speedball method on his way to winning a 100m gold medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
In his first season on the professional running circuit, he enjoyed his first Australian success with Paul Young winning the Brunswick Gift over 120 metres in December 1988.
His squad quickly grew and within 3 years he was virtually unstoppable with his charges winning several major Gifts with multiple finalists in many of the events.
In a stellar 1989/90 season, Bradley's athletes also won the Broadford, Wangaratta, Melton, Bendigo and Werribee Gifts, as well as several other sprint races on the VAL circuit.
In 1991, Bradley became only the second coach in Stawell Gift history to train the quinella (1st and 2nd) when Steve Brimacombe defeated his stablemate Paul Young in the 120m classic.
Brimacombe also became Bradley's first Australian national champion, when in March 1994, he won a memorable and titanic 200m battle against 1993 world championship finalists, Dean Capobianco and Damien Marsh.
In 1995, Bradley became embroiled in one of the most controversial incidents in Stawell Gift history, when his athlete Glen Crawford was sensationally disqualified after running the fastest heat on Easter Saturday.
After two inquiries, Crawford was reinstated and on Easter Monday went on to become the most emphatic winner in Stawell history, winning in an incredible 11.78 secs on a rain affected track.