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Hume's Brooks signs with Fort Scott
By Eric Wade
Daily Mail Sports Editor
Another local high school senior has made official her intent to continue her athletic career in college.
Emily Brooks will graduate from Hume High School with the Class of 2013 and was a significant portion of the offense for head coach Delanya Thompson's Lady Hornets throughout her high school career. She finished her high school playing career with 1,035 points, despite devastating injuries to both knees, one of which cut her senior season short.
The latest injury happened on Dec. 4, when the Lady Hornets took on Appleton City. Brooks had just three points in that game after injuring her knee in the first minute.
"It was 8 seconds into the game and I was dribbling down, breaking the press," Brooks said. "And I stepped to pass and my knee went out."
After that game, Brooks was determined to get back out on the floor and did so, only to add even more to her injury by tearing her meniscus.
"I was kind of discouraged," she said. "I kind of thought maybe I was done."
That wasn't the case, however, as Brooks has made a speedy recovery that appears to be nearly complete. Just this past weekend, Brooks said the jogged all the way through a 5K run/walk and her knee is "doing great."
Despite the injury that caused her to miss the majority of her senior season, Brooks will still get the opportunity she dreamed of to play college basketball. Monday morning, in front of members of her family, her high school coach and a number of fellow students, Brooks signed a letter of intent to play basketball for the Lady Greyhounds of Fort Scott Community College under head coach Katie Reihmann.
"Emily is a tremendous athlete," Reihmann said. "We are more than excited for her to become a member of our Greyhound family here at Fort Scott!
"She is an outstanding point guard and also has the ability to score from anywhere on the court. She takes on any challenge that is given to her and she will make an immediate impact on the team."
Brooks said her decision to attend Fort Scott was based on a number of things. At the top of that list, however, was not only the proximity to home, but Fort Scott's solid academic reputation.
"I want to be close to home and that way, my family can watch me play," Brooks said. "And plus, I hear it's a good college."
Brooks will major in elementary education at Fort Scott. That decision was simply based on her experiences with young children and the prospect of being able to help them.
"I like helping little kids and they respond really well to me," she said. "That's what makes it easy and fun to help them."
Though the excitement of going to college and moving on to a new life is obvious in Brooks' demeanor, there are a number of things she won't be looking forward to leaving behind after her graduation.
"I'm definitely going to miss the girls I grew up with playing," she said. "And I'm going to miss my coach because she's pushed me since third grade and has taught me a lot about the game.
"I've had a lot of fun in high school. I get along with everybody."
The Lady Greyhounds finished last season with an overall record of 4-27, 1-13 in conference play. Brooks will join Reihmann's squad next year with high hopes, but those hopes won't necessarily be to dominate the scoring effort as she did throughout her high school days.
In fact, Brooks said she would rather help the team in other ways and contribute to the success of others than to elevate her own scoring total.
"I'd rather have more assists than points," she said. "I'd rather be the girl to pass the ball and get someone open than be a ball hog."