After graduating from San Benito High in 2016, Suzy Brookshire has played at three Division I schools, where she has set numerous records. She was a key member of the Haybalers’ 2016 Central Coast Section championship team.
S. Brookshire Career
Those are impressive feats, but nothing compared to her next challenge: helping the Mexico national softball team qualify for the medal round at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
“Most of the time it doesn’t feel real,” Brookshire told the Free Lance the day before the squad flew for Japan. As one of my friends put it, “Perhaps when we get there it will feel more genuine.”
Aside from the opening ceremonies on July 23, softball will be one of the only sports to begin competition the day before. Since this is Mexico’s first Olympic softball competition, Brookshire will go down in history books. Tournament play will begin on July 21 against Canada, followed by games against the host nation of Japan on July 22 and the odds-on favourite U.S. team on July 24.
It means a lot to me because this is the crew I get to work with,” Brookshire expressed gratitude. Because of how well we’ve prepared for this, I believe that the fact that we’re doing it together is our primary motivation. Because there is nothing left to think about or prepare for, all we want to do is play our best and represent Mexico. To put it simply, I can’t wait.
Although Brookshire was born in the United States, she is eligible to play for Mexico because her grandmother, Helen Gonzales, is of Mexican descent. In his two years with the Mexican national team, Brookshire has been a key part of their success.
With the score tied at one against Canada in a 2019 Olympic qualifying game, Brookshire drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning, helping Mexico go on to win and secure a spot in the tournament.
We had a lot of feeling, she remarked, as they rejoiced on the field. Because it never feels true, I don’t think I have cried in my life. Having said that, I feel like it’s becoming more tangible today.
The Mexican national team has a who’s who of professional and collegiate athletes. For the past four years, when Brookshire has represented Mexico on the baseball field, he has batted anywhere from third to seventh in the lineup. She has claimed, “I’ll play catcher if they need me to,” despite being a left fielder and right fielder.
Before working at a Nike softball camp the summer after her first year of college, Brookshire had never considered trying out for the national team. Jenny Topping, a softball legend of yesteryear, spoke to the campers about her time in the 2004 Olympics.
S. Brookshire Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
Brookshire won the Big Sky Conference’s Most Valuable Player award after breaking both the single-season and career home run records for Sacramento State’s Hornets. During the 2020 season, which was cut short due to the Covid, she led San Jose State with eight home runs and 22 RBIs, and the Spartans went on an unprecedented 17-game winning streak and finished with a 21-5 record.
While attending Long Beach State University, Brookshire set a school record by hitting three home runs in a single game. Since the NCAA would give athletes participating in spring sports in the 2020 season an extra year of eligibility because of Covid, she was able to participate for a total of five seasons.
Brookshire transferred to San Jose State out of concern for his future with Covid, and he likely would have completed his college career there if former coach and Hall of Famer Pete Turner had been retained for the 2021 season.
