Brookins steps down as Central football coach

~ Central football coach leaves his position after 2-8 season.

Central football coach Lawrence Brookins worked with his team at practice during the 2007 season, which the Tigers finished at 2-8 (Kit Doyle)

After reports circulated a week ago that Central football coach Lawrence Brookins would resign, the news became official Thursday.

Central sent out a news release stating Brookins' intent not to return for the 2008 season and that the search for a new head coach would begin immediately.

Brookins, who will stay on at Central as an art teacher and the track and field coach, did not return phone messages.

Central athletic director Mark Ruark declined to comment about the reasons Brookins gave for resigning and whether the coach was forced out.

"We'd like to thank Lawrence for nine years as a head coach," Ruark said. "He won five district titles. So his record speaks for itself. Anything beyond what was said in the resignation release, I don't think there would be anything else I would want to say. We certainly appreciate coach Brookins' service."

Brookins was a football coach at Central for 11 years, nine as the head coach.

He posted a 44-54 record from 1999 through 2007, winning five district championships and three sectional championships.

Brookins kicked off this decade strong after starting his career at the school with a 1-9 record in 1999. He went on to coach the Tigers to back-to-back 7-5 seasons in 2000 and 2001. He continued to enjoy success the next two years with a 10-2 record in 2002 and an 8-3 record in 2003.

But 2003 was his last winning season.

Brookins posted an 11-30 record over his final four seasons, winning just one of his five district titles over that period. The district title he won in the later portion of his stint as coach was in 2006, when the team finished 4-7.

Brookins coached the Tigers to a 2-8 record this past fall, with wins over St. Charles in Week 4 and Sikeston in Week 10.

Ruark said for him the most exciting memory about Brookins' stint came in 2000.

"We had gone 1-9 the year before and we kind of came out of nowhere to win the district and go to the playoffs," Ruark said. "That was the first time Cape Central had tasted playoff football in quite some time. That was a very exciting time. It was a lot of fun."

Ruark, who has been at Central for the past 24 years, and served as athletic director for the last three, said the struggles in the second half of Brookins' reign as coach were caused by multiple factors. Falling participation numbers helped fuel the swoon.

Central had 44 players on its roster at the beginning of this past season, but numbers dropped as the fall progressed.

"I think the losses mounted as the numbers declined, I think, in terms of participation in football," Ruark said. "I think that's an important factor, that in football more than any sport, is dictated on numbers. Now you have to have kids who are committed to the program as well.

"Specific numbers I can't remember without looking at them. But really if you look over the past four years, I know my first year as athletic director we finished in the low 30s. I think that's where we've been the last three or four years."

Ruark said there are no candidates yet to fill the position.

"We are wide open," Ruark said. "We are looking forward to the next chapter in Tigers football. We have a rich, rich history and tradition in football. ... We want to find a person to come in who fits the community and can get everybody excited about football. We don't have anybody in mind."

Ruark did not give a timetable for when the school would like to have a new coach in place.

"Obviously, we want to make it as soon as possible, but the approach we'll have is that we're looking for a good teacher as well as a good coach," he said. "And however long it takes is how long we will take. We're not going to rush to fill the position just to fill the position. We want to make sure we get the right person."

Ruark said he is hopeful to get a new coach in place in a timely fashion so that person can begin meeting the players, planning out summer camps and planning summer workouts. But there is no deadline.

Ruark said a letter went out Thursday to all of Brookins' assistant coaches letting them know about the head coach's decision to step down and that each was welcome to apply for the position, if interested. He said no one from Brookins' staff has expressed interest in the job yet.

"We would want the new head coach, whether he would come from within or without, to have input on their staff for next year," Ruark said. "Unlike college, in high school your coaches also have to have a teaching position. But we want the new head coach to have as much input on their assistants as they can have."

Ruark added that he hopes participation numbers and dedication will increase with a new coach.

"You look at Jackson High School and they've got numbers and they've got kids who are committed to being in the weight room," Ruark said. "And that's really a community pride thing, and I'd like to see that back at Cape Central."