April 11, 2024
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are proud to announce that Adam Brooks has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Lehigh Valley community during the 2023-24 season. This is the second consecutive season he has won the award for the Phantoms.
Adam Brooks embodies the qualities of a true leader both on and off the ice, exemplifying the values of sportsmanship and community engagement.
“I think it’s important,” Brooks said. “Obviously, the community supports us in such a big way. And we wouldn’t be able to have a team in Lehigh Valley or be the team that we are without the fanbase. Anything that you can do to give back to the community and reciprocate the support that they give to you is obviously huge.”
Throughout his time in the Lehigh Valley, Adam has demonstrated exceptional dedication to giving back to the community in various ways, as evidenced by his frequent visits to both Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital and local elementary schools for our Reading Rink program.
Adam has also been actively involved in fostering the growth of youth hockey in our community. He has generously contributed his time and expertise to Phantoms Youth hockey, serving as a role model and mentor to aspiring young athletes. Moreover, he demonstrates his commitment to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to experience the joy of hockey, regardless of their background or abilities, by consistently volunteering his time to the Phantoms Charities Sled Hockey team. But Adam says he’s not the only one who finds fulfillment in giving back.
“We’re lucky we have a lot of guys who really care about that stuff. It’s almost a little bit of a competition who’s going to get their name on the sheet to go volunteer. It’s fun and it’s nice to do good things with your best buddies.”
One of Adam’s most remarkable contributions this season has been his initiative to establish a new donation program within our organization. Adam pioneered and has personally committed to making an impressive donation to Phantoms Charities to help fund the programs within our community that have touched him as a player. Adam’s generosity and genuine commitment to making a positive impact caught the attention of other sponsors who were moved to the point of matching Adam’s donation. As of today, this program has surpassed $11,000 in donations.
“I was always taught to give more than you receive. Growing up my parents did a good job always giving their time when they could. So it’s something that was instilled in me. And it’s something when you have this kind of platform when you’re playing pro hockey and have the ability to reach out to kids and families in general then you want to do it.”
Adam Brooks is now one of 32 finalists for the AHL’s 2023-24 Yanick Dupré Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupré Memorial Award will be announced by the American Hockey League later this month.
