A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Plum’s Logan Brooks

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Tuesday, May 31, 2022 | 11:35 AM


Logan Brooks

Plum football / track and field

Plum senior Logan Brooks spent his four years of high school playing football. Nonetheless, Brooks made the decision to add another sport to his resume.

In his junior season, Brooks joined the track and field team and competed in numerous events, including the long jump.

In his senior season, Brooks broke a school record in the long jump (21 feet, 6 inches), and he has been a key contributor in other events, including the high jump, the 400-meter relay and the 100 dash.

At the WPIAL Class 3A championships, Brooks finished seventh in the long jump.

Despite his success in track and field, his main focus is football.

In his senior season, Brooks had a career year, catching 50 passes for 569 yards and four touchdowns. The future Edinboro student also rushed for 100 yards on 15 carries.

Brooks finished his career with 87 receptions for 1,372 yards, catching 16 touchdown passes.

Near the end of his senior year, he took a few minutes for a Senior Spotlight Q&A.

How did that feel to be able to break the long jump record at Plum?

Considering that I had only done two years of track, it’s something I would have never expected. I’m gonna be completely honest. I came into track to keep me in shape for football, but then the more that I went to practice, the more that I studied how to do different things and the more that I just participated, the better I got, and it just never crossed my mind that I would have ever been able to do that.

How has participating in track and field helped you in football?

It definitely taught me how to keep a steady pace and how to breathe properly with breathing techniques. If you want to look at the jumping aspects of it, it taught me how to be explosive by jumping off my left leg with that explosiveness.

What was one takeaway from football for your senior season?

One thing that I look back on is how my attitude changed. Now, I’m not gonna lie, I did not have the greatest attitude near the beginning of the season. I was nervous. Going from the season we had my junior year to an 0-4 start just wasn’t looking great. We eventually came together, picked things up and clinched a spot in the playoffs, and it was just an exciting thing going from the team we were at the beginning to the team we were at the end.

What do your teammates mean to you?

A lot of those kids I’ve played with since I was very little. Just watching them grow and watching them develop is just something special within itself. Those guys are pretty much brothers to me.

What impact have your coaches had on your athletic career?

These are the guys that have taught me and motivated me. They just taught me so much. I don’t know what I’d do without any of those guys.

How do you balance both school and sports?

The balance between sports and school is a lot. What helped me was that my dad always told me about grades. My sister helps as well. If it’s a late practice, I might ask her for some help with some of my classes.

What would you say your defining moment has been in your athletic career?

Beating McKeesport at home in our first playoff game since I’m not sure when. I wish that covid didn’t hit, because if the community were there, I guarantee it that the entire stadium would have been super loud. It was just one of those surreal type moments walking back into that locker room after beating a rival for the first time in a very long time.

What was it like when fans returned to see you guys play?

It was nerve-wracking, but on the other hand, it was almost relieving, knowing that I knew that my family was there to support my friends as well. That was a huge part. I think our student section went over the top this season. It was just something to look forward to every game, win or lose.

How much of an impact has your family had on your athletic career?

I don’t know what I would do without them. My dad was the person to get me into football. When I was little, he coached me and then he eventually just became a fan. He couldn’t coach anymore because he’d get too into it. He just stuck to watching, and my whole family would come to almost every game. It was just nice seeing them, knowing that they were there and sometimes even hearing them.

Who has pushed you the hardest?

One of them is definitely going to be my dad. He’s always asking how was practice, if there’s anything I need to work on and helping me lift. Another person who heavily impacted the way I look at football and just athletics, in general, was a senior last year. His name is Max Matolcsy. He played a huge role in that and made sure I lifted whenever we didn’t have lifting. He introduced me to a ton of new opportunities such as travel football.

What’s next for you?

I committed to Edinboro as a wide receiver, but as of right now, I could be either offense or defense.

What will your major be?

Finance, but I’m intending on doing a double major with a business concentration.

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