Female Athlete of the Year: Brooks gives of herself, gets plenty in return
Burbank High School senior softball pitcher Caitlyn Brook is the Burbank Leader Female Athlete of the Year.
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Heading into her senior year at Burbank High, Caitlyn Brooks had already established herself as one of the most dominant softball players in school history.
As a junior, the right-handed pitcher was the Pacific League Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Assn. All-West Region first team, garnered All-CIF Southern Section first-team accolades, was voted the 2014 All-Area Softball Player of the Year, and if that wasn’t enough, Brooks also earned a spot on the 2014 NFCA High School All-American softball third team.
Having already given a verbal commitment to Notre Dame, many expected Brooks to spend all of her time prior to her senior campaign laser focused on softball in preparation for her final season with the Bulldogs. However, in the fall of her senior year there was Brooks, walking the greens of the golf course, substituting a club for a bat and mitt.
The Burbank girls’ golf team was suffering from low numbers and, although she is not an avid golfer, Brooks stepped up to fill a spot and help the Bulldogs field a squad. It was the second straight season in which Brooks lent her services to the golf squad.
“Caitlyn didn’t have to come out and help us last season. We weren’t going to make the playoffs and she knew that the team really wasn’t going to be all that good,” Burbank Coach Branko Sevic said. “But that’s the kind of person she really is. She knew that we had a need and she came out and helped us.
“She just loves competition and she had a blast with us. She really became kind of a den mother to the other girls on the team. She took care of the girls. She is just a good athlete and I think she could play just about any sport that she wanted. If she would have dedicated herself to golf, I bet she could hit the ball as far as any girl that I’ve seen.”
Although she had taken some golf lessons before, Brooks hadn’t really competed in the sport before joining the Bulldogs team her junior year.
“Golf was really good for me because it gave me a break from softball; plus I had some friends on the team,” she said. “They needed a player and I needed a break, so it all worked out. But it was really a lot of fun. Mr. Sevic just makes it fun for all the players. I love golf, although I suck at it. But all the girls helped me out on the golf course and they really made it a fun experience for me.”
Having enjoyed her sidetrack with golf as a senior, Brooks finished up that season and dove headfirst into her final high school softball campaign.
Brooks proved dominant in the Pacific League, earning her third straight player of the year honor while helping lead the Bulldogs to a share of their third league championship. She was also named an All-CIF Southern Section Division III first-team selection, earned her third straight All-Area Player of the Year accolade and was a Cal-Hi Sports All-State Softball first-team selection, as well as a Medium Schools pitcher.
And now for the second consecutive season, Brooks has been honored as the Burbank Leader Female Athlete of the Year.
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Helping out others has been an ongoing theme during Brooks’ four-year tenure in the Burbank softball program. She has helped guide many younger Bulldogs players. But her mentoring of players has not been restricted to the players on the Burbank team. This summer, she took time out to help with the Burbank Little League 10-11 All-Star team, instructing the players in everything from pitching to fielding to hitting. The All-Stars captured District 16 and Section titles before winning a Division 3 Championship.
“It is just in her nature to help other players like she does,” Burbank softball Coach Mike Delaney said. “She understands where she came from and how she started and remembers the people who helped her along the way. She does those kinds of things quite a bit. She’s really quiet about it, but she really helps out a lot of kids and she’s proven to be a great mentor for a lot of our younger players.
“You really couldn’t ask for a better leader, someone who will lead by example and is willing to give of herself.”
Along with the joy she derives from playing and competing on the softball field, Brooks admits she also gets a great deal of satisfaction helping young players.
“Working with those Little League players, I just loved it,” Brooks said. “It was so fun working with them. They just have so much drive and they really appreciate the help. They want to get better and get to that next level and to be able to help them get there has been so rewarding. I remember getting help in softball when I was that age.
“I also really enjoy working with the younger players at Burbank and I’m working with their pitchers over the summer. And we don’t just talk about pitching, but other things as well. It’s something that I just really like to do.”
When she wasn’t helping others, Brooks also took time to improve her game and that paid dividends during her senior campaign this past spring. Behind the dominant pitcher, Burbank (21-5, 13-1 in league) had another successful year, winning 13 straight games and running its consecutive league win streak to 41 before rival Burroughs snapped the string with a 1-0 extra-inning thriller.
Brooks did her part, leading the Bulldogs in pitching and hitting. In the circle, she had an 18-5 record with a 0.66 earned-run average, 264 strikeouts and 18 walks over 149 1/3 innings. Opposing teams hit just .172 against her.
At the plate, Brooks hit .451 (32 for 71) with 26 runs batted in, five doubles, three triples and six home runs. In addition, she had an .859 slugging percentage.
“The great thing about Caitlyn is that she is a motivator and she tries to get everyone up no matter what the situation,” Burbank all-league catcher Bridgette Pisa said. “And when she’s on the field, she’s just a very fierce player. Just her ability as a pitcher is amazing and she’s a great hitter as well. ...She is just the complete player.”
Said Delaney: “That’s what makes Caitlyn such a great player, her versatility. If she didn’t get a college scholarship as a pitcher she would have gotten one as a hitter, she is that good.”
Ending her high school career with another strong showing, Brooks will go down as one of the most dominating softball players ever at Burbank High, as well as in the city. She ended her career with an 82-17 record, a 1.14 ERA and an impressive .828 winning percentage. In addition, Brooks notched an amazing 1,002 strikeouts. On offense, she had a .479 batting average over four years with 126 runs batted in and 28 home runs.
“I just had a great time and I was fortunate that I was able to be successful,” Brooks said. “Now I’m looking forward to the next chapter in my life. I’m looking forward to the whole college experience and being able to compete at a higher level at a great school. I’m so excited, I can’t wait.”