Considered one of the NFL’s best linebackers, Tampa Bay
Buccaneers’ Derrick Brooks is a ten-time pro-bowler. He has
played in more games as a Buccaneer than anyone in franchise
history. And, at the time of this interview, Brooks was
celebrating his 200th consecutive game, a feat that shows
incredible resilience.
Brooks is a team leader and thought of as one of the most
respected players in the NFL. His leadership by example was
instrumental to leading the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl
Championship in 2003.
Not only is he talented on the field, but off the field, the
34-year old Florida native has dedicated his life to
philanthropy. His foundation, Derrick Brooks Charities, is
celebrated for its work with children. From college preparatory
programs, to opening the Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School
in Fall 2007, Brooks work has positively affected the lives of
hundreds of children who may never have had an opportunity to
pursue higher education. And so well-respected is this Buccaneer
linebacker, that Florida Governor Charlie Crist named him Chair
of the Governor’s Council on Fitness.
Lifestyle Magazine had an opportunity to chat with Brooks about
his efforts within the community.
LM: Who is your biggest influence and why?
DB: First and foremost, I would say God and my
relationship with him as well as my faith that allows me to stay
grounded.
Secondly, I would say my family, beginning with my Mother and my
Grandmother. When they were alive, they instilled in me the
value of making life better for someone else and that how you
treat people is way more important in life than who you become.
LM: You are known for your philanthropic work, much of it
focusing on children. How did you decide to make that the focus
of your efforts?
DB: That philosophy was set back in 1996 when two little
kids asked me for tickets to a ball game.
From that small conversation, God has blessed our foundation to
do tremendous things. I can give kids the opportunity to
experience things they never had done before. That time, it was
attending a football game.
LM: The 2007-08 school marks the beginning of your latest
endeavor, the Brooks-Debartolo Collegiate High School in the
Hillsborough County School District. How did you get involved in
efforts to open a high school?
DB: The idea came from Dr. Phildra Swagger (Executive
Director and Principal). We took children to Africa and she saw
the different programs I had going through the Boys and Girls
Club. She basically asked me, “If you could bring all programs
under one building, would you consider doing that?” I prayed
about it, and at the end of the day decided the school is an
extension of what our foundation is currently doing.
LM: What has been the benefit of being able to place your
programs under one roof?
DB: Now, instead of reaching 10-20 kids in each program,
we have the opportunity to reach 100 -200 kids by setting our
own academic criteria and really be able to give kids
preparation for college. Education is a big reason I do what I
do. The school has 189 kids currently enrolled with a capacity
to 400.
Also, we are giving kids the chance to go to college, who may
never have thought about it. I really thank the DeBartolo
family. When I told them about the school, they were sold on my
enthusiasm to get it done, jumped right in and here we go!
LM: It is about halfway through the first school year,
how is it going?
DB: It is going well. It has its challenges but at the
end of the day, we go to bed knowing we are impacting the lives
of kids.
LM: How were the students selected to attend the school?
DB: We are looking for kids that want to be college bound
and can handle the work load. I don’t want to put anyone in a
position to fail. Sometimes, the academic criteria can be
intimidating but you won’t know until you take the entry test.
I’d estimate that 96 percent of the kids that applied to the
school are going there.
LM: Does the school have a specific academic focus?
DB: We have an emphasis in terms of college preparation.
We have the ability to take the students to University of South
Florida and Hillsborough Community College. They will get the
experience of being in college, while in high school. In a
magnet program, you teach and earn college credit at the school.
We take that relationship further by taking the kids to the
college campus as well as inviting professors to come teach
class.
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LM: What other groups does the Derrick Brooks Foundation
currently have relationships with?
DB: We still have relationships with the Boys and Girls
Club. We have the “First and Goal” program, an after school
college prep program for kids that don’t attend high school. We
also have after school programs for ACT, SAT testing, job
placement. The foundation is currently working with Tampa Bay
Work Force to take on the task of beginning a fire academy.
One of my more proud programs is the “Brooks Bunch and Beyond.”
We have about 70 students that have come through the program
that are currently in college. We give them a small grant to
offset the college expenses. We even have a couple of students
in graduate school that we still provide assistance for.
LM: Are their any particular students that have succeeded
that you use as an example for others?
DB: I hate to single out one person. Some of my more
successful examples include a young man who learned to wear a
belt on his waist. He walked into a building with his pants
sagging down to his ankles. Today, he wears his pants up, tucks
in his shirt, and conducts himself like a gentleman.
Another success is our first college graduate, Natasha Spencer.
She used to be a teen who wasn’t excited about education. Today
she is in medical school at Florida State University set to be a
doctor.
LM: You are known as a leader on the Bucs. What do you
consider your leadership style to be?
DB: I am an “actions speak louder than words” guy. I am a
doer, not a talker. Therefore, when I do talk, it carries a lot
more weight. My leadership speaks through actions. I try to show
my teammates a model of consistency. That is something that
turned the Bucs around from 1996 to now. We established this
model in terms of how we conduct our business, play football and
community involvement and I share that with the younger guys.
LM: You recently celebrated your 200th consecutive
football game in the NFL. What do you attribute to accomplishing
this feat?
DB: I will always say the grace of God. I take care of my
body; from working out to not drinking or doing drugs. I will
always encourage people to stretch and exercise, but I do not
have a magic formula. I train my body, train my mind and don’t
abuse my body.
People need to understand that fitness is a state of mind, and
being on the (Florida) Governor’s Council for Fitness as
chairman, I try to tell people fitness is more than going to the
gym. It is a lifestyle. It is a state of mind and once you
develop that mindset than you do the things needed to stay in
shape.
LM: As chairman of the Governor’s Council for Fitness,
what has been your role?
DB: To coordinate a lot of people, get the best of
everybody’s ideas and get the governor to support the
initiatives. Everyone on the council brings a different talent,
from nutritionists, to doctors, to athletes.
LM: This past summer, Lifestyle Family Fitness enrolled
nearly 7,000 teens for a free two month membership. The program
is part of the company’s effort to put a dent in the obesity
epidemic plaguing this country. What do you do to ensure your
family remain active and healthy?
DB: Again, it is about being a doer, not a talker. We’re
not going to say obesity is an issue and not do anything about
it. I think it is a wonderful initiative and I hope more teens
take advantage. When this summer comes, all 189 in my high
school will know it’s available and I may even give extra credit
to those who take advantage of it.
LM: How do you train in the offseason?
DB: In the offseason, I workout at (the Bucs) facility a
few days a week and at Lifestyle Family Fitness a few days a
week. The relationship with Lifestyle Family Fitness gives us a
different outlet than doing the same thing everyday.
Also, our strength and conditioning coach gives us a workout
regimen. I get more flexibility than a rookie would, but we do
have a specific program that we follow.
LM: What do you enjoy doing outside of football?
DB: Golf! The only time I get to relax is when I am on
the golf course. When I am away from football, I do the
philanthropic work and I am always learning how to be a better
business man, so when the day the Lord says it’s over, I have
options.
For more information about the philanthropic work of Tampa Bay
Buccaneers’ Derrick Brooks, visit
www.derrickbrookscharities.org. |