What’s in a name? For four Bulls, a legacy

aNia Brooks already has made a name for herself by becoming a rising star with the USF softball program.

“I’m always going to be my own person,” she says. “But I am definitely influenced by the way my dad lives his life. He has given me the greatest example.’’

Former NFL linebacker Derrick Brooks, a Pro Football Hall of Famer and perhaps the greatest player of all time for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, remains highly regarded because of his athletic prowess and civic contributions. But around the USF softball diamond, he’s just a proud dad.

“I honestly try to stay in parent mode and enjoy all of the moments,’’ Brooks says. “I want DaNia to have this stage to herself. I’m always there for support. If she wants my opinion on something, I’m here. Other than that, I’m the dad.

’’Brooks joins three other Athletics fathers renowned for their own sports. Like Brooks, they’re content to remain in the background and watch their children thrive with the Bulls.

DaNia can relate to her softball teammate, Jamia Nelson, whose father, Jameer, was an NBA luminary and the 2004 college basketball National Player of the Year at Saint Joseph’s University in Pennsylvania. “My dad has always been there for me,’’ Jamia says.

USF’s first-year lacrosse program features Alison Harbaugh, a Notre Dame transfer whose father, John, has completed his 17th season as head coach of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. The coach guided Baltimore to the Super Bowl XLVII championship in 2014.

Meanwhile, Bulls football place-kicker Nico Gramatica, who set a program record with successful field goals of 58 and 51 yards in one game last season, has followed in the legendary cleat marks of his father. Martin Gramatica was a Pro Bowl kicker and Super Bowl champion with the Bucs. Additionally, Nico Gramatica’s uncles Bill and Santiago Gramatica were two of the top kickers in USF football history.

It’s a remarkable confluence of athletic bloodlines and a coincidence that they all arrived at USF together. They have become kindred spirits, mostly because of their similar upbringings. They agree on one point: Their fathers really do know best.

“When people hear my last name ‘Gramatica,’ most of them have heard of my father,’’ Nico says. “Being the son of Martin Gramatica, maybe it will open a door or two, but you have to keep making kicks when you’re a kicker. My father wants me to have my own life and my own path. I appreciate that.’’

Alison Harbaugh says she grew up knowing that her father, a high-profile coach, was under constant scrutiny from the public. 

“Our dads have been involved in the business of sports, where things can be so fickle, where the media and fans say things about you that maybe aren’t exactly right,’’ Alison says. “But you know what? You stay true to that family name. You grow closer and tighter. 

“Your dad might be well-known, but he’s still your dad. And that’s what really matters.’’

- Joey Johnston, ’81 // Athletics