Adam Zweigart won't play college football; Lawrence Brookins is leaving job as Central track coach

I attended the SEMO North Conference track meet Monday and got the chance to speak with Jackson running back Adam Zweigart and Central coach Lawrence Brookins about their futures.

Zweigart said he will attend Southeast Missouri State next year but will not walk on to the football team.

"No, I'm not going to try out for the football team," Zweigart said. "Because they didn't offer me anything I don't think I should risk my own health to play football."

Zweigart said he plans to study electrical engineering.

"I'll be studying two years of electrical engineering and then I'm going to go to Indiana and get my mechanical degree."

Meanwhile, Brookins said this spring is his final one as head track and field coach at Central. Brookins also spent several years as Central's football coach before leaving that position last school year.

"I'm retiring," Brookins said. "I've been doing this for 32 years. In fact, I don't even like to use the word retired. I'm going to be semi-retired. I've got a deal worked out for me just out of the blue. I'm going to teach three hours a day at the alternative school. I'm not going to coach. I'm going to volunteer my time and services to help out at track meets -- doing whatever they need. I'm thinking seriously about getting my officials and starters license for track. They tried real hard to get me to do that for football, but I just needed a little time away. So I may do that in football, but I'm definitely probably going to do that in track. I'll stay busy. I'm just tired of putting in 16-hour days. I'm going to put in three and then do whatever I want to do after that."