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Saturday, June 25, 2022 | Sunday, June 26, 2022
The Messenger/Fort Dodge, Iowa
www.messengernews.net
A role model on and off the court
Crooks is a household name and superstar to area youth By CHRIS JOHNSON
sports@messengernews.net
ALGONA — Colin Schwab was playing basketball in his driveway one night when a familiar face pulled up in front of his house. Rolling down her window, Bishop Garrigan High School senior-to-be Audi Crooks asked Colin if he wanted to go for a shake. Crooks, who is the top recruit in the state of Iowa and the top50 in the nation, is not only one of the best basketball players, she’s also a strong role model in the Algona community. “She drove by our house one night about 10 and my son was out playing basketball,’’ said Bishop Garrigan head coach Brandon Schwab. “She asks him if he wants to go to McDonald’s to get a shake. “Nobody is asking her to do this stuff; she just loves to do things around the community.” Crooks, the daughter of Fort Dodge graduate, the late Jimmie Crooks and Michelle (Vitzthum) Cook, splashed onto the stage as a freshman for the Golden Bears. She has helped lead the Golden Bears to three state finals appearances and the school’s first state championship this past season. Though her talents are known on the basketball court, it’s what she is doing off of it, whether she realizes it or not, that’s making the most impact. “When we have home games and get done, there are usually four or five elementary kids that she is signing autographs for,’’ Schwab said. “She is good about being present. “In her free time she is out there working with young post players and helping them work on
Algona “People call it a team, but I call it a family, both on and off the court. My teammates have pushed me and we operate as a unit and win as a unit.” AUDI CROOKS Bishop Garrigan High School basketball player basketball.” Outside of basketball, Crooks keeps busy in other athletic realms as well. “She is involved in a lot of things, from swing choir to speech,’’ Schwab said. “She is also in track and has done volleyball and softball. “She loves to hang around her friends as much as possible.” On the court, Crooks has demonstrated her talents and has become a household name on the Iowa and national scene. Upon graduating from Bishop Garrigan, she has committed to play at Iowa State University in Ames. The Bishop Garrigan junior was named the Class 1A Iowa Basketball Coaches Association player of the year, matching the one she won as a freshman. She was also the Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020. Receiving such an award is a great achievement, but Crooks knows it’s not possible on her own. “It’s definitely a huge honor to be recognized,’’ Crooks said.
“It’s a prestigious award that is handed out to such great athletes in the state. “People call it a team, but I call it a family, both on and off the court. My teammates have pushed me and we operate as a unit and win as a unit.” She has been a first-team allstate selection all three seasons and became the school’s alltime scoring leader with 1,845 points and is closing in on 1,000 rebounds (955). Crooks is averaging 22.5 points and 11.6 rebounds, along with 3.5 blocks per game. Her career field goal percentage is 71.1 percent. Every time Crooks is asked about her accomplishments, it quickly turns to her team. “My teammates are a big influence on me,’’ Crooks said. “Knowing that the girls I play with trust me completely is a great feeling and I take pride in that. “I also feel as if they hold me to a certain standard, and it constantly pushes me to do more and to never be satisfied.”
-Messenger photos by Britt Kudla
ABOVE: Audi Crooks receives a rose from her cousins Emery Vitzthum and Hayden Vitzthum, of Michigan, after winning the Class 1A state championship this season. LEFT: Audi Crooks gets a hug after Bishop Garrigan won the state championship this season.
