Derrick Brooks is big on family.
First, there is his immediate family, where he's Patricia’s husband and father of Jordan and Justin.
Then there is his extended family from volleyball. He can't come up with a number for the size of that group but rest assured it is already large and still growing.
Brooks, 59, began his volleyball journey in the late 1970s as a star high school player with the J.L. Ilsley Judges. After his playing days, he became an official and eventually advanced to the point where he took the stand for national and international matches.
But his biggest impact on the sport’s stage has been as a coach where he has spent over 30 years leading high school, club and college teams.
Derrick’s whole course of life is what it is because of volleyball. That sport did so much for him. I think he recognized how important it was for him, that he wants to make sure it is that important for someone else.
-Pat Brooks,
In those early days, whether he was officiating or coaching at tournaments, the weekends were understandably long for the rest of the Brooks family with their father away at volleyball events.
It soon became obvious life would be better if Brooks could combine the two families.
With a gentle nudge from his wife Pat, Brooks started taking the boys to his weekend tournaments.
"I had to find a way to make it work," said Brooks. "It was either take them out or not be able to do it as much."
The Nova Scotia volleyball community gave back by offering a safe place for his two young sons to play and develop their passion for the sport that so influenced their father.
"Once I started taking the boys, everyone was receiving them so well. The boys were well behaved. It wasn’t a big deal for me because they loved it and once I started bringing them everybody else took them as part of their own. So it made it pretty easy.
"You couldn’t ask for a better environment."
One benefit was that Pat got a little break on those weekends. Another plus, that she quickly recognized, was the importance of the sport to the Brooks boys.
"From my perspective, it did give me some freedom when the boys were going with him, but the big thing is that when someone has something in their lives that they are passionate about it is such a pleasure for them," she said.
"I had a lightbulb moment where I realized how passionate Derrick was about volleyball and that was when I came to acceptance with his involvement, just how important it was to him. Then I watched my own kids get involved and realized how much it meant to all their lives and, as a parent, I joined in watching."
Volleyball Playground
Some of Jordan’s earliest memories came while his father coached the girls’ high school team at Auburn Drive in the late 1990s.
"I remember being four or five and we fell in love with going and it turned into the most exciting part of our lives," said the now 29-year-old.
"We were travelling, staying in hotels, eating out at restaurants and had 12 high school girls who paid so much attention to us and loved us. We could roam around the gym and everybody knew who we were so we didn’t just have to be by his side all the time."
Justin, 27, said he loved the experience because it gave him the opportunity to hang out with his dad.
But only when his teams were winning. If his father’s team was eliminated at a tournament Justin would jump ship and find his way to a seat on the bench of the eventual winning team.
"I had no loyalty whatsoever, I was there to win," laughed Justin as he reflected on the memory.
"If they didn’t win, I no longer wanted to be associated with them. I would go sit on another bench and cheer for them when my dad's team was out. The whole community was very friendly and very nice to us."
Lifelong Connections
When he reflects on all the paths he has crossed in his volleyball days - whether it be former players, their parents, officials or coaches - Brooks is appreciative.
"It’s a lifetime connection. I didn’t realize that going into it, but some of my best friends are through volleyball. I went to so many of these girls' weddings that it’s unbelievable. It’s very rewarding that you have made a difference in those kids’ lives,
"It’s a path that I don’t regret at all."
One such player is Jamie Brown, who started playing for the Sackville Sonics club when she was 12.
She’s now 33 and serves as an assistant coach to Brooks on the Mount Saint Vincent University team.
"Derrick was an amazing coach who really cared about his players," she said. "His dedication to the sport was always something I admired and how much he stressed the team culture. His volleyball teams were his family and that family dynamic is why his teams have been successful.
"Coaching is a small way to give back to both Derrick and the sport that has given me so much."
Magic with Mystics
Brooks has enjoyed great success as coach of the Mystics. The team had an eight-year championship run that ended last season. Brooks was named the conference’s coach of the year six times during that span.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down their season and he will have to wait until next year to start a new title run.
"My big thing now is to get my team into playing at a high level at national championships," he said, still with an eye to the future. "We won eight conference titles in a row, but we haven’t won that national medal yet. We’ve been close a couple of times but haven’t broken through yet. That’s my goal before I give this up."
June Lumsden, the Director of Athletics and Recreation at Mount Saint Vincent, said Brooks has had a significant impact at the school.
"As head coach of the women’s volleyball program Derrick has not only brought his expertise and love of volleyball to the Mount, but he also brought his family, volleyball club and community too."
Following their father
It wasn't a surprise when the sons followed their father into the volleyball world.
Both are officiating and coaching. Jordan, with help from Justin, led the C.P. Allen Cheetahs to their first Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation girls’ championship last season. They were in the playoff mix to defend their title this year but COVID-19 ended that opportunity.
They've seen first-hand how their father related to his players and it has made an impact.
"Everyone he coached, and as hard as he was on us, they all still loved him," said Jordan, who also played at the University of New Brunswick.
"Outside of the volleyball, it’s like family and at the end of the day, regardless of what is happening volleyball-wise, you are looking after these kids for so much of their lives. They need to know you’re more than just a coach, that you are there for them in other aspects and fully supporting everything they do. It makes it so much easier on the coaching end because they know you have their best interest at heart.
"I look at the number of kids he has touched on their lives as a coach and mentor, probably thousands. You see how passionate he is. Volleyball means the world to him."
Justin, who played at the University of Guelph and King’s College, agreed with his brother.
"The sport means everything to him, it’s his identity," said Justin.
"What he means to the sport, so many people look up to him. I think he has helped change so many kids' lives, not only in volleyball skills but also as a person."
Family Highlight
One of the highlights for the entire family was the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Que. Jordan competed for Nova Scotia in beach volleyball, Justin was on the men’s volleyball team and Derrick officiated the men’s championship match.
"Canada Games was a mind-blowing experience, you feel like you’re in a mini-Olympics," said Jordan.
"To have Justin competing, we were separate weeks so I couldn’t see him because I was home and still had to train. But the whole family was there the second week for me. It was amazing to have them there, it’s one of the best experiences of my athletic career."
Volleyball Legacy
Brooks’ passion for volleyball and his willingness to share is his greatest legacy, said Pat.
"Derrick’s whole course of life is what it is because of volleyball," she said. "That sport did so much for him. I think he recognized how important it was for him, that he wants to make sure it is that important for someone else."
