Growing up fast
Growing up fast
Sometimes it's the little things that matter.
For the past few months, WR
James Brooks (Groveland, Fla./South Lake) has been a very familiar face on the camp circuit, along with many of his teammates at South Lake. He won the offensive MVP award at the Elite Scouting Service combine on April 11 and came very close to a similar award last weekend at the Tallahassee Nike Football Training Camp.
But for Brooks, football is the easiest part of his day. When he leaves the field, the teenager heads straight into adulthood and takes care of his mother and sister, both of whom are disabled.
James Brooks is hoping to play his college ball close to home, near his mother and sister.
"My mother had a stroke when she was 12 and she struggles with things sometimes," Brooks said. "My sister was born with Down syndrome. It's just the three of us."
Brooks transferred from Forest High School (Ocala, Fla.) to South Lake earlier this year, when it was clear his family couldn't stay in Ocala anymore.
"Things were getting bad there and we had to escape an abusive situation," Brooks said. "It was very serious and things could have gotten a lot worse had we stayed."
Brooks has quickly bonded with his new teammates, such as
Patrick Harris and
Kris White, and he fits right in with South Lake's aggressive offseason schedule.
"James is just a great player and a hard worker," assistant coach Terrance Larmond said. "And when you see what he is faced with off the field and how he handles it, he inspires a lot of guys around here."
Brooks said his sister has a caretaker during the day while he's at school and practice and he becomes the primary caretaker once he gets home.
It's a lot for anyone to deal with, especially a junior in high school, but Brooks continues to balance everything out.
"I pray every morning before I go to school and at night before I go to sleep," Brooks said. "Sometimes it can be frustrating because I don't have the normal life of a teenager, but I know that the things I have to deal with don't compare to the fight they go through each day."
Football is not only a passion and an escape for Brooks, but it's also a future. South Lake will be a primary stop for several college scouts this spring, and every day will be another chance for him to leave a positive impression.
This past weekend, Brooks was at Florida State's spring game with the rest of his teammates, and the Seminoles' wide receivers coach, Lawrence Dawsey, told Brooks he was planning a visit. The other major in-state programs (Florida, Miami, South Florida and UCF) will also come through Groveland at least once, but for now the 5-foot-8, 190-pounder has one offer in hand from Kent State.
Like most MAC programs, Kent State has a noticeable Florida presence on its roster and tries to recruit players who are flying under the radar a little bit.
"I hadn't really heard anything from Kent State, so I got on the Internet to do some research," Brooks said. "I've been looking up the program and the campus. I see they have a new head coach there."
Just playing college football would fulfill a dream for Brooks, but playing close to home would allow him more frequent contact with his family.
"I'll do anything for my mother and my sister, and there's no way I could put the burden of bills from a college education on our family," Brooks said. "But I know it's going to work out in the end, and we've got a lot of people on our side. I'm in the best situation at South Lake and I have the support of my family and friends. Getting the opportunity to earn a free education would make my mom so proud."
Found this on ESPN.com For James Brooks, football is the easiest part of his day. - ESPN
