University of San Francisco Athletics

John Richard Brooks was born on February 24, 1955 in Derby, England. He and his brother Adrian had played soccer since childhood, in Derby and later in Northern Ireland. They both attended universities in the United States on soccer scholarships. Brooks was recruited by Coach Steve Negoesco to attend USF when he was visiting his brother. Brooks accepted and played for the Dons from 1976 to 1979. The team won the 1976 and 1978 NCAA Men’s Soccer Division 1 Championships.

After USF, he was recruited by and played for the Cleveland Force of Major Indoor Soccer League, the San Francisco Fog, and the San Jose Earthquakes from 1979 to 1983. During his first game with the Earthquakes on February 10, 1983, he lost the hearing in his right ear when heading the ball. Brooks had already lost his hearing in his left ear as a result of a childhood viral infection. 

After retiring from soccer, Brooks coached the Dominican University of California soccer team for 14 seasons from 1995 to 2009.