Education
Crooks was educated at Radley College and raced in the World Youth Championships in 1967.
Crooks was educated at Radley College and raced in the World Youth Championships in 1967.
He raced in the 1971 World Rowing Championships in the coxless pair, then in 1972 switched to the double scull with Patrick Delafield, winning the Double Sculls Challenge Cup at Henley. Crooks and Delafield reached the final rowing for Great Britain at the 1972 Summer Olympics at Munich and led briefly before finishing out of the medals in fifth. In 1973 Crooks moved to the eight, winning the silver medal at the 1974 World Championships behind the United States., and the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley in 1975 (in which year he also finished 4th in the World Championships in the coxed four).
Crooks then competed in the single scull winning the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley and the Wingfield Sculls in both 1977 and 1978.
In 1977 he came 4th in the World Championships in the single scull. From the late 1980s to the late 1990s he taught Craft Design Technology at Saint John"s School, Leatherhead having taught previously at Glyn School in Ewell.
The day of the opening ceremony for the London Olympics, 2012, he rowed in Gloriana from Hampton Court to City Hall.