- Slug: Sports-ASU Brooks Haircuts, 520 words.
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By Jordan Hampton
Cronkite News
TEMPE – Small children peeked into the window at the Arizona Barber Academy in Tempe, eagerly waiting for a free haircut Sunday. Arizona State running back DeCarlos Brooks greeted them from the inside with a wide smile, matching their excitement before the 10 a.m. start during his second annual Cutback Giveback Haircut Event.
A local sponsor booth, two bounce houses and games were set up outside the academy as the cloudy and hot day approached the lunch hour and kids stood in line, awaiting their turn to sit in the barber’s chair. The event is part of the Chandler native’s effort to give back to the Valley, where the former Arizona Offensive Player of the Year starred in the Chandler High School backfield and won three 6A state championships.
Brooks hosted his first free haircut event in 2023, servicing 30 kids, according to the Arizona Republic. The community’s positive reception played a large role in bringing the event back for a second year. Among his supporters, which included Sun Devils teammates, his father, brother and mother were present.
“I’m feeling really good about this event,” Brooks said Sunday morning. “I appreciate everybody, all the guys that are coming out to support me. I’m ready to give back to my community.
“The (Sun Angel) Collective and everybody in the Valley helped me organize the event. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to support my community.”
Brooks, a redshirt senior who transferred from the University of California during the 2023 offseason, joined young barbers inside the spacious barbershop. One young girl acted as the barbershop owner for a moment while standing in line, requesting that Brooks play Rihanna’s music on the television before hopping in the barber chair with her popsicle.
“I want it this short,” she told a female hairstylist, letting her know the desired length of her hair.
There are a lot of barbershops Brooks could have chosen, but Arizona Barber Academy served a special purpose for this year’s haircut event.
“This is a college town right here, so Tempe was the perfect spot,” Brooks said. “Coming back home, it’s just like a different feeling because these are the people I know. I know guys down the street who I grew up with or I know his cousin or I know his uncle.”
Brooks began cutting hair during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he cut his own hair due to the restrictions in place for public places. He then practiced cutting his brother’s hair. Now, he cuts the hair of ASU coach Kenny Dillingham.
“I remember I started out with like $50 Walmart clippers and now I am using $300 clippers,” Brooks said. “I’m grateful where I’m at now and just keep practicing.”
Brooks’ community efforts extend beyond the Cutback Giveback Haircut Event. He has participated in turkey drives with former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch and cooked for homeless people in the past. Giving back to the community comes naturally for him and started long before his playing days at ASU, former Chandler High School teammate Gannon Buycks notes.
“This event is nothing new to him,” Buycks said.
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