Girls Basketball Roots in Alton F. Brooks
By Ken Lipshez | Sports Correspondent at February 24, 2024 | 9:00 am | Print
When Mike Jones is asked about the future of girls hoop in New Britain, he refers to a developmental program under the banner of the Alton F. Brooks Youth Basketball League.
The effort that Jones has made to strengthen girls basketball in the city has its roots in the work of Brooks, whose tireless administrative work set a foundation for the city’s minorities to participate in youth leagues. Brooks continues to work with city youngsters.
Brooks ran a team in the NEWBRACC (New Britain Area Council of Churches) League that put so many of New Britain’s great black basketball players on the road to success.
“He’s very important. To me, he’s a legend,” Jones said. “That’s where I started coaching.
“A 13-year-old boy called one day and said I need a coach. I became their coach. Mr. Brooks was the Bobby Knight, the Mike Krzyzewski. He had like 2,000 wins because he was the only minority and they had very good teams.”
Brooks coached the Spottswood AME Zion Church team.
“There weren’t a lot of opportunities for us in the 50s and 60s,” Jones said. “It’s changed a lot, but if you wanted to play back then, you played for Mr. Brooks and Zion. His teams were known for having the better ball players like Gilbert Rice, Bobby Burton and Nate Vinson. That’s the only place they had to play as far as being in a league.”
New Britain High coach Darwin Shaw also paid tribute to Brooks.
“He’d get the kids from all the projects, kids that even the high school wouldn’t get,” Shaw said. “He was such an icon that when you look across the city at African-Americans in coaching, he’s the first who comes to mind in any sport.”
Jones noted that rough economic times and the changes in culture have diminished participation.
“The church league used to be supported by the churches but they have not been supporting it the last few years because [church attendance] is down. The kids don’t attend church the way they used to. Back in my day, you had to go to church. Kids have more distractions now than we used to have.”
A more in-depth feature on Alton F. Brooks is in the planning stage.
