Day Job: Construction Worker
When he’s not training for the men’s discus throw, 28-year-old Brooks works grueling 12-hour shifts, up to 60 hours a week, as a construction worker at an oil and gas company in Indiana. “Concrete laying. The hard work,” he told the Chicago Tribune. “It’s probably not the ideal job to have as an athlete, but it pays the bills and you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.” During one 10-month period he worked a total of seven jobs to save up for training and travel expenses. He also finds time to coach discus and shot put at a local high school.