Bacall Brooks: Shining All-Star
Sweat trickles down her forehead as she swings her racket back and forth on the tennis court. Her multi-colored headband brightly distinguishes her from the other players. The vibrant colors of senior Bacall Brooks’ hairpiece are suggestive of the positive energy that is constantly exuding from her.
This Hawaiian-born athlete was deemed unique the day she was born. Her distinctive first name was chosen by her father. The name “Bacall” is a German surname, and Brooks’ great-grandmother was from Germany. When Brooks was a child she disliked her name and wanted to change it to something more common. However, by the time she reached high school, she became rooted in her identity and felt her name had become a part of her. Although her unique first name makes her stand out, her career as a college tennis player has also proved to be anything but ordinary.
Brooks’ experience as a Stonehill College women’s tennis player has been an emotional rollercoaster. Prior to entering college, Brooks grappled with the decision to play hockey or tennis at the collegiate level. She chose tennis, claiming it is a lifelong sport. As an incoming freshman, Brooks had been confident with her abilities as a player because she had excelled at the high school level. However, she quickly realized that college tennis would present more challenges to her and potentially even dwarf her skills. By her sophomore year she reevaluated what she needed to work on to play at a college level and alas felt more equipped to be on the court during the NE-10, an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA’s Division II. Junior year was a bit fragmented for Brooks as she spent the fall semester abroad in New Zealand.
“I didn’t play at all for a whole semester and then I came back and luckily, as I shook the rust off, my skills came right back,” Brooks said.
For Brooks, her senior year has been one of the best. She claims that it is truly hard to believe how quickly the time has gone by.
“It seems like just yesterday I was coming to my first practice as a freshman. I wasn’t even able to hold my racket because my palms were so sweaty,” she admitted.
Brooks’ teammates admit that she is the glue that holds the team together. Her determined work ethic on and off the court is inspiring to her teammates.
Fellow teammate, Jackie Harrow, describes Brooks as an irreplaceable player. “Bacall has a very positive attitude and serves as a mediator for our team. We can all rely on her to make us laugh or relieve tension on the court,” Harrow said.
Other than the athletic fame of tennis, Brooks’ tennis career has also served as a tie for holding her family together. Brooks’ parents divorced when she was 11 years old, but tennis always remained a stronghold for the family. Her parents’ divorce has made her grow as a person because she had to compensate for living in a fragmented household. However, no matter where Brooks is living, both her mother and father make every effort to attend her tennis matches.
“My parents have always gotten along, so it is a comfort to have them both at my matches,” Brooks said.
Stepping off the court and into the classroom, Brooks proudly holds the highest GPA for the Stonehill women’s tennis team and has made the athletic honor roll every semester of her collegiate career. This honor roll requires each athlete to hold a 3.2 GPA or higher. It is no surprise that Brooks holds this achievement because she is dedicated to all that she does. Senior Sarah Galligan, Brooks’ friend, describes Brooks’ never-ending motivation.
“Bacall is energetic and dedicated. She always goes above and beyond,” Galligan said.
Aside from tennis, Brooks has had another fulfilling experience by traveling to another continent. Brooks’ Hawaiian roots influenced her decision to study abroad in New Zealand; an experience that proved transformational. She traveled to New Zealand all alone and was forced to become self-sufficient as she was responsible for buying her own groceries and being money cautious. At the same time, this experience made her gain more respect for other cultures. Brooks was exposed to an entirely different point of view and New Zealand’s outlook of the United States made her appreciate home.
“This experience gave me the travel bug and made me want to travel more,” Brooks said.
As for life after Stonehill College, Brooks plans to spend the summer waitressing in Newport, RI. This upcoming fall she hopes to start a year long program teaching English in either South America or Costa Rica.
“I definitely think I am going to take a break from competitive tennis because it has been mentally trying over the past four years,” she said.
No matter what Brooks decides to do in the future, she will most definitely stray from the norm. As you walk around campus, you cannot ignore the bright, energetic vibes of Bacall Brooks, felt not only on the tennis courts, but also in the lives of many.
Click the link to see an interview with Bacall Brooks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gqrMLYJS0o&feature=youtu.be
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