Damon Brooks, a 1990 graduate of Cadiz High School and standout on the football field, has been named to the West Liberty University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Brooks, who began his career as a speedy running back for the Cadiz Cardinals, went on to make his mark as a Hilltopper during a four-year career at WLU. Initially signed as a running back, coaches quickly moved him to wide receiver to capitalize on his speed — a change that turned him into what opponents called a defensive back’s worst nightmare.
At West Liberty, Brooks earned national recognition in yards per catch, ranking seventh in the nation with an average of 23.0. As a true freshman, he picked up the first of four All-WVIAC honors and in 1991 was named a NAIA All-American.
Brooks, a four-year starter, still holds the WLU career record for kickoff returns (1,151 yards). His 3,919 all-purpose yards rank third in school history, while his 23 touchdown receptions stand fourth all-time and his 2,188 career receiving yards place him fifth.
Reflecting on the honor
Brooks said he was overwhelmed with gratitude when he got the call May 30 from WLU’s Lance LaFollette.
“The first thing I did was gave thanks to God for blessing me with this achievement and allowing me to still be on this earth for that moment,” Brooks said. “I felt so privileged, and honored, and honestly also relieved. After our phone call, I immediately started reflecting, all the way back to the start of my football career in the third and fourth grade as a Cadiz Redbird.”
He credited early coaches George Christian — the father of fellow WLU Hall of Famer Eddie Christian — and his stepfather, the late Ernie Hardwick, as two of his first mentors.
Brooks also recalled the Friday night lights of Cadiz High School.
“I thought about high school, and all my coaches, especially Coach Biz and Coach Mays, and what it meant to be a Cadiz Cardinal, and coming out of that tunnel on Friday nights ready to battle with all my brothers.”
At West Liberty, Brooks said coaches Bob Eaton and Scott Cook became both mentors and father figures. He remembered off-season training runs from his mother’s house to the fairgrounds and around the horse track — hard work that, he said, “in the long run, has paid off.”
Most of all, Brooks said the induction is also a tribute to his late stepfather and to his mother, Gwen Hardwick.
“She showed me what hard work is all about and the rewards from it,” Brooks said. “She never missed a track meet, a basketball game, or a football game my entire career. I want to thank her for all the unconditional love and support that only comes from a mom, and how this induction into the HOF is a reflection of her.”
Life beyond football
Brooks graduated from WLU with a degree in criminal justice and today works as a re-entry coordinator and court navigator in Jefferson County. He lives in Cadiz with his wife, Lisa, and is the father of five children and grandfather to 13.
