Villa Park youth in running for 'Young Athlete of Year'

Squinting into the setting sun, Villa Park mom Jenny Brooks tries to follow the play being run during the youth football team practice.It's hard to see more than the little back-lit bodies of 8- and 9-year-olds on the Cadet White team on field at Willowbrook High School. Until #8230;A pair of baby blue socks with matching shoelaces streak by, as a 4-foot-4, 67-pound running back weaves in and out untouched between other, larger players."Now you know why I put blue socks on him," Brooks said jokingly to another mom. "So I know it's him. I can see his feet."But it's more than his fashion sense that's shining a spotlight on Tony Brooks-Franklin.Listed as "Tony B." at the Sports Illustrated for Kids Web site, the fourth-grader at Ardmore School is one of six finalists for the magazine's first "Youth Athlete of the Year" award.The 9-year-old has scored four touchdowns over five games in the Villa Park Warriors youth football league.As a baseball all-star, Tony hit .308 with eight RBI over 17 games, stealing home four times with 16 total stolen bases. His lone home run was a memorable blast during a June playoff game.Tony excels on the athletic field despite being born with only one fully developed hand."Football is a lot easier to play than baseball," Tony said, "because you only have to play one position."SI Kids editors picked Tony out of a pool of 6,000 applicants to vie for the Youth Athlete of the Year award.Ultimately, online voters will choose the winner by making their selections at www.sikids.com. The online voting ends Oct. 8.In addition to being featured in the magazine, the youth winner will appear on the cover of the December issue along with the adult "Athlete of the Year." Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez are the finalists in the grown-up category.Teno Geritano, a Villa Park Warriors coach, said Tony is "a quiet, soft-spoken leader" on the gridiron.Given his ability to catch the ball and score, Geritano said, Tony has his vote for the Youth Athlete of the Year award.On the baseball diamond, Tony was one of his team's best fielders, which meant he got moved to whatever position the team had the greatest need.Tony's bat came alive in the playoffs with a homer that impressed everyone involved in the baseball league, including Frank Francione of Villa Park.Francione was in the dugout of one of the fields at Jefferson Junior High as his own team went through hitting practice when Tony's home run ball stopped near his feet."I thought it was my kids playing catch when they weren't supposed to," said Francione, who was coaching a different team while Tony was slugging on another field.The ball had traveled 253 feet.While that feat still amazes Francione, it doesn't surprise him Tony did it."I've had the pleasure of coaching against him," Francione said, "and the displeasure of watching him strike out the side." Tony's baseball coach, Greg Boehm, who's also an assistant football coach for the Warriors, said he's never seen a kid hit a ball that far.Still, in baseball, Boehm said, fielding the ball and throwing to get outs is paramount."Kids who are playing sometimes don't realize he's throwing with the same hand he's catching with," Boehm said. "With Tony, you either notice it or you don't."Tony started playing tee-ball about three years ago, said his father, Gary Franklin.Developing Tony's proficiency to catch the ball, remove it from the glove and throw took some work, Franklin said.Tony's coaches say it's reminiscent of Jim Abbott, a former professional baseball player who pitched a no-hitter for the Yankees in 1993.For Tony, "it took some time to work with him because he would naturally be right-handed," Franklin said. "I knew he had the ability, and he likes challenges. He loves challenges."Franklin said it is a credit to Tony's skills that people don't realize his son has what some might consider a handicap."To me, he has no disability," Franklin said. "As long as he puts his mind to something, he can do it."Villa Park's Tony B.Name: Tony Brooks-FranklinAge: 9Height: 4 feet, 4 inchesWeight: 67 poundsSports: Baseball (shortstop, pitcher); football (running back, kick returner)Favorite players: Chicago Bears Devin Hester, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson, San Diego Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson Favorite teams: Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs Favorite subjects: Math and musicDream: To become a Chicago Bears running back 512412Tony Brooks-Franklin, 9, of Villa Park readies for one of several drills during football practice with the Villa Park Warriors.Paul Michna | Staff Photographer 512372"Youth Athlete of the Year" nominee Tony Brooks-Franklin, 9, of Villa Park practices with his football team at sunset at Willowbrook High School.Paul Michna | Staff Photographer