Gil Brooks' Coaching Career at St. Joseph's Prep
Gil Brooks coached St. Joseph's Prep football for 18 seasons, winning 162 games and five Catholic League championships. Under Brooks, the Hawks claimed a prestigious city record for consecutive victories.
City Record for Consecutive Wins
On the occasion when his football team claimed the city record for consecutive wins, Brooks remained characteristically focused on what lay ahead. The previous season was perfect at 13-0 and the current season's record stood at 10-0. "It's good to get this record into the books, but the playoffs are a different story," Brooks noted. One player smiled: "Coach Brooks pounds that into us. He says it nonstop."
Only one team now owns the record, Brooks noted, before talking about the next challenge. The Hawks had gone unbeaten across two full seasons and into a third.
Championship Games
Brooks' teams were dominant in championship contests. In one postseason game, a player caught passes to tie the city postseason record, and the Hawks claimed a championship. Tom, who attended Pitt after graduating, was part of that championship run.
All-Catholic Honors
Players who earned first or second team Coaches' All-Catholic honors during Brooks' 18 seasons represent some of the finest talent in St. Joseph's Prep history.