Tia Ra'shone Brooks was born August 2, 1990 in Saginaw, Michigan to parents Cyd D. Neal and David Brooks. At East Kentwood High School, she primarily ran sprint events before her coach, John Makinen convinced her that she was better suited for throwing events. Initially, she fought the change and threatened to quit track and field. "I didn't really want to throw the shot put," she explained. "I didn't want to be the stereotypical thrower ... the big girl who didn't run and wasn't athletic." After a heart-to-heart talk with her mother, Brooks relented. During high school, she was a four-time all-state honoree and a two-time regional champion. In her final year, she won the 2008 state title with a 14.65m. She finished second in both the discus and shot put at the Midwest Meet of Champions. Brooks attended University of Oklahoma. During her first year, she lost feeling in her legs while lifting weights and had to be carried out on a spine board. She was diagnosed with degenerative disc disorder, two bulging discs, and a narrowing of the spine. Her doctor advised her to give up the shot put, but Brooks pressed on. After a year of rehab and strength training, she returned to the sport in 2010. She graduated from Oklahoma in 2013.
University of Oklahoma
In 2010, Brooks finished fourth in the shot put at the US Championships with a new personal best distance of. In 2011, she was the runner-up in the shot put at both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. At the national championships, she finished fifth. During the season, she upped her personal best to and finished the year ranked fourth in the country. In 2012, Brooks won the shot put at the NCAA Indoor Championship with a distance of. She went on to win the Outdoor Championships as well, turning in a throw of. She was named first team All-American in both the indoor and outdoor events and was a Bowerman Award semifinalist, an award given annually to the country's top track and field student-athlete. At the 2012 US Olympic Trials, Brooks threw the shot put on her second attempt. The distance held up and she won third place. The throw qualified her to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Afterwards she said, "It's so surreal. When I found out I made it, I cried." Brooks entered the Olympics seeded 16th. In the qualification round of the shot put, she finished 11th in her group with a distance of. Her throw placed her 19th overall and was well short of the necessary to make the top eight and advance to the finals. Brooks was joined at the Olympics by Oklahoma teammate and close friendBrittany Borman, who won the javelin at The Olympic Trials. At the start of the 2013 season she defended her NCAA indoor title with a throw of, breaking Laura Gerraughty's Americancollegiate record. Brooks was coached by former Olympian, Brian Blutreich. Her college outdoor best, set during 2012, is . She holds two school records in the shot put.
Brooks attended East Kentwood High School where she played varsity on their track team. Brooks currently lives in Kentwood, Michigan. She has four siblings: Tor'i and DeMarcus Brooks, David Brooks Jr., and Teiah Faulk.
