G.T. Bray field to be named after Manatee coaching legend John Carlock

BRADENTON, Fla. (WWSB) - Longtime Manatee County baseball and softball coach John Carlock will be honored April 14 with a baseball field at G.T. Bray Park named for him.

Manatee County Commissioners unanimously voted to rename the baseball field as “John Carlock Field” in honor of the coach’s contributions to the sport and society. A renaming ceremony is set to take place at the field April 14 at 5:45 p.m.

Carlock, who served in the Army during the Vietnam War, was a well-respected coach and teacher in Manatee County. After beginning as an instructor at Prine Elementary School in 1981, he moved to Manatee High School the next school year and took the reins of the Hurricanes’ baseball team, compiling a 158-89 record from 1984 to 1993. He also spent several years coaching football and fastpitch softball at Manatee High.

He was the first baseball coach at the new Braden River High School in 2005-06, leading the Pirates to a 21-28 record over the first two seasons. His dedication and passion for his work left a lasting impact on the community, and his legacy lives on through the countless lives he touched.

The ceremony includes the unveiling of the new sign bearing Coach Carlock’s name, a dedication of the field in his honor and other festivities paying tribute to his contributions as a teacher and coach. The event will be followed by a Manatee High School home baseball game, with the Hurricanes hosting the Lennard High School Longhorns.

“I am thrilled that we are renaming the Manatee High Baseball Field at G.T. Bray after Coach Carlock,” said Manatee County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge. “This is a fitting tribute to his legacy as an outstanding coach and teacher who had a positive impact on many young people’s lives.”

There is a $5 admission cost for the game, and tickets must be purchased online at https://gofan.co/app/events/838832?schoolId=FL5957. Information about Manatee High School’s game policies, including tickets, parking and stadium/gym seating, can be found at https://www.manateeschools.net/domain/2656.