East Oktibbeha's Brooks giving up girl's hoops

February 21, 2011

Brooks

By JOEL COLEMAN
sdnsports@bellsouth.net

Randy Brooks, who just completed his second season at the helm of the East Oktibbeha girl's basketball team, confirmed Monday that he is stepping down as head coach of the program.
Brooks, who also serves as head football coach as well as track and field coach at the school, says he will still keep those roles going forward.
"I could tell all this was too much," said Brooks. "I need the time off between football and track season. I just had to cut back on some of these coaching duties."
Brooks says stepping down from his girl's basketball post was a "mutual decision" between himself and East Oktibbeha principal Broderwick Cochran, and that a search would soon begin for his replacement.
In Brooks' tenure, the Lady Titans made positive strides each season, putting together a 14-12 overall record in 2009-10 and a 19-10 overall mark this year. In both seasons, East Oktibbeha reached the semifinals of the Class A South State Tournament.
Prior to Brooks' stint, the Lady Titans sported just a 7-18 record in 2008-09.
Despite the success, Brooks simply felt it was best to move on and focus on other aspects of his coaching career, primarily his football responsibilities.
"I don't want to burn out on all this because I'm not a young guy anymore," said Brooks. "My main goal is to rebuild the football program and get it to where we can contend for district championships and state championships.
"I need to do things like preseason football. We're at the point in high school football where, if you take months off from that and kids aren't lifting weights, you won't win many games in the fall."