Date: Fri 15-Nov-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Steve-Brookes-Feature

Full Text:

Steve Brookes Feature

B Y T.W YATT

He's tougher than a microwaved pork chop and burns with a desire that's

stronger than a garlic milkshake. If there's a brick wall between him and the

soccer ball, they'll be sweeping red chalk dust after the game. He only stands

5-foot-6 and weighs only 135 pounds, but a guttier high school soccer player

you will never find.

If Newtown High School soccer coach Larry Ashmore passed out MVP awards, this

year's would have Steve Brookes' name engraved on it. And the tiny gold

figurine on top would be wearing the dirtiest uniform in the trophy shop.

" Any team that's going to succeed beyond the normal level of success, needs

to have a Steve Brookes, " coach Ashmore said. " A player who may not be as

blessed with the talents and physical attributes of other kids but who is so

mentally and physically tough that he just carries a team on his shoulders.

There's just no fear in that kid. He wasn't our best athlete or skill player

but he, without question, had the most desire on our soccer team. As Steve

Brookes went, we went. "

Standing only 5-foot-6 and weighing 135 pounds, Steve Brookes, a senior, is

the youngest and smallest of three brothers to go through Newtown High School.

His oldest brother Rob played basketball at NHS and went on to play at the

collegiate level. His other brother David played basketball and golf at the

school and as quarterback of the football team set every modern-day passing

record imaginable. He went on to play golf at the college level.

But Steve marches to his own drummer.

His varsity jacket is decorated with varsity letters in basketball and golf as

well, but Steve's athletic love has always been soccer.

" I never thought about playing football, " he said. " I've played in the

backyard with my friends, but never in pads. Truthfully, I've never even

thought about it. I've always loved soccer and always wanted to play it. "

Growing up with his two big brothers around, Steve didn't compete with them in

neighborhood sports. But that's not to say they didn't influence his athletic

career. " I never really played sports against my brothers, but we always

wrestled in the house, " Steve said, matter-of-factly. " I'd always try my

hardest against them, but they'd always kill me. I think that helped me when I

got to high school because I was smaller than the other kids. I never feared

running into people or getting knocked around. "

As a junior last season, Brookes was a varsity regular with the soccer team, a

backup guard on the varsity basketball team, and the third golfer for the

school's SWC championship golf team. This season, as a senior, he was selected

as a soccer team captain.

" His example made him an obvious choice, " coach Ashmore said. " He just

works and works and works, and grubs and grubs and grubs. He just gets after

it and refuses to lose. He didn't usually get angry, but he'd get upset with

other players on the team who seemingly shied away from contact. He'd tell

them to go through the ball even if that means you have to go through the man

to get to the ball. He took some smacks this season that would have left most

guys lying on the ground. But he'd get up and get right back to banging again.

" From midfield, this season, Brookes scored three goals and added seven

assists. But his presence meant more to the Nighthawks than his statistics.

" We don't give an MVP award but, if we did, he'd get it as far as I'm

concerned, " Ashmore said. " We have a bunch of guys who played well and put

up some good numbers, but they didn't have what this team needed most;

intensity. Only Brooksie had that. I'd rather have a whole team of guys like

Brooksie than guys who are extremely talented and use a little bit here and a

little bit there. It's a team sport and its never one player who's

responsible, but there's no question that Steve Brookes was the main component

on this team. "

On the soccer field, Brookes thinks that his greatest attribute is his ability

to shadow players on defense. Coach Ashmore agrees.

Against nationally-ranked Bethel earlier this season, Ashmore assigned Brookes

to play man-on-man against All-New England midfielder, Steve D'Amoura. Not

only did D'Amoura not score in the game, but he was completely neutralized.

Newtown took Bethel to overtime before losing 2-1.

In just looking at Steve Brookes standing on the soccer field, you would say,

" impossible. " He doesn't have great speed and is physically smaller than

most freshmen. But he's been dealing with that his whole life and even that

opponent was no match for Brookes.

" I wouldn't say that my size has ever held me back, " he said. " Although in

sixth grade I was in the final five and didn't make the middle school

basketball team. Everyone was always telling me to grow. That got to me a

little. But I've always had older friends outside of school who would

encourage me not to worry about size. After a while I just got used to being

small and decided to get clever. "

During his four years at Newtown High, Brookes has played big. He plans to

finish out his high school athletic career with one more basketball and golf

season and then look forward to college.

He's narrowed his choices down to Elan, North Carolina-Wilmington, York, and U

Mass where he hopes to study Sports Management. " Or Park and Leisure

Management, " he said, " which is like owning and running your own golf

course. Maybe Dave [Brookes] will be the pro and I'll take care of business. "

Steve says he'll go out for the soccer team, when he decides upon a school,

but won't be crushed if he doesn't make it.

Coach Ashmore thinks that he can. " He's small, and not real fast, and could

easily be overlooked by a coach in a tryout environment, " Ashmore said. " But

he's so tenacious. I'd like to think that there's a place in collegiate

athletics for anybody like Steve Brookes. "