Victoria Advocate AdvoSports

Brooks brothers prepare for final go round

Thursday, August 26, 2021
by Mike Forman, Advocate Sports

Victoria Advocate Article   |   Shiner Comanche Football   |   Shiner Comanche Sports

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Shiner's Dalton and Doug Brooks pose for a portrait before the start of practice at Comanche Stadium. The Brooks brothers are the 2A Coverboys for the second straight year.
all photos by Duy Vu, Victoria Advocate photographer
SHINER - Doug and Dalton Brooks shared MVP honors at last season's state championship game.

Doug was the defensive player of the game, and Dalton received the nod on offense after helping lead Shiner to the school's third state championship with a 42-20 win over Post.

The brothers are accustomed to being recognized together, especially when it comes to football.

They have played with each other since Doug was 6-years old and Dalton was 5, and have been on the same team ever since, except when Doug was a freshman and Dalton was in eighth grade.

Their lockers are next to each other in the dressing room and they usually wind up next to each other in team pictures with Doug wearing No. 1 and Dalton wearing No. 2.

Both earned all-state honors last season and will have the opportunity to play on the collegiate level.

"It's definitely a lot of fun coaching them, obviously because they're really talented," said Shiner coach Daniel Boedeker. "But what makes it even better is they're such great kids and such hard workers and take coaching so well. They're never satisfied. They're always looking for ways to get better whether it's bigger and stronger in the weight room or drills in practice you're always going to get 100% from them."

The Brooks brothers go into this season with added incentive, knowing it's likely the last time they'll have the opportunity to play together.

"We started early, but then it just became a bond," said Doug, a 6-foot, 265-pound senior, who plays defensive tackle and running back. "It's definitely crossed my mind and whatever happens, happens and I'll make the best out of it."

"It's been a long time," said Dalton, a 6-2, 185-pound junior who plays running back and in the secondary. "After this year, it's going to be a little different. You've got to adapt to certain things and that's something I'm going to have to adapt to."

Doug has five Division I offers and Dalton has 13, and the brothers are likely to decide where they will play in college sometime after this season.

"They're very intelligent football players," Boedeker said. "They know the game really well and the more they played the more experience they gained and it really paid off for them last year. We're looking for even better things from them this year."

The Comanches lost 22 seniors from last year's team, but the brothers insist the team has the opportunity to accomplish what it did last season.

"We have great move ups," Doug said. "The move ups are very talented. I'm not too worried about it, but we need them to have the same pace we played at last year. We need to make them feel comfortable and have the team chemistry we had last year and get the job done."

"You just gotta build it back up," Dalton added. "You've got to teach them as well as you can. We've got to watch film every day with them and hopefully, they get it and have that dog in them to go get it every time we play."

Boedeker is confident the brothers will set a high standard for the younger players and take on the leadership role the team needs.

"They're definitely great teammates," he said. "They're great leaders. They both lead by example. Neither one says a whole lot, but their work ethic and their approach to the game is pretty easy to follow."

The Brooks brothers would like nothing better than to play their final game together in December at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

"It's crazy," Doug said. "I mean not too many people can say they did it and excel while doing it. It's something different. I'm definitely proud, but not satisfied."

"It means a lot," Dalton said. "As kids you always dream of winning the state championship. You don't dream of a perfect record, but you dream of winning a state championship and we did both. That made me proud of myself, my teammates and my family. But it's over now and we've got to go get another one."


click to enlarge photo
click to enlarge photo
click to enlarge photo
Shiner's Dalton and Doug Brooks pose for a portrait in the weight room before the start of practice Wednesday, Aug. 11 at Comanche Stadium. The brothers helped lead Shiner to its third state championship in school history in 2020.
 
Shiner's Dalton and Doug Brooks pose for a portrait before the start of practice Wednesday, Aug. 11 at Comanche Stadium. The brothers were the offensive and defensive players of the game respectively at the Class 2A, Division I state championship in 2020.
 
Shiner's Dalton and Doug Brooks pose for a portrait before the start of practice Wednesday, Aug. 11 at Comanche Stadium.
 
Mike Forman is the sports editor of the Victoria Advocate.
Contact him at 361-580-6588 or mforman@vicad.com,
or on Twitter @mikeforman21.
Duy Vu Duy Vu is a staff photographer with the Victoria Advocate.
Contact him at 361-580-1240 or dvu@vicad.com,
or on Twitter @duydotdecimal.


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GO COMANCHES !

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