Doyle’s hard work produces brains and brawn

IOWA CITY — Donovan Doyle witnessed hard work and the price of success.

He appreciates all those trips to the weight room for University of Iowa's football team, observing his father, Hawkeyes' strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle, work with players transforming from walk-ons to draft picks. The influence his father has had on NCAA Division I football players pales to the impact he made on his grade-school son, who applied those lessons to become the definition of a student-athlete.

'He's probably one of the most, if not the most important person, that has impacted my life,' Doyle said about his dad. 'From a young age, he's instilled the right values in me. Always doing the right thing (and) being the best person you can be. He's given me opportunities that I couldn't have dreamed of.'

The Iowa City West senior parlayed those opportunities into academic and athletic achievement, earning two state wrestling medals and a chance to continue his wrestling career at Harvard University. Doyle begins this season ranked second at 195 pounds by The Predicament, serving as a role model for his teammates.

'He's done everything right,' West Coach Mark Reiland said. 'He's put in the extra time, done the extra work and it's things like that the other kids watch and need to emulate to get to that level.'

Success wasn't immediate and demanded plenty of effort. He took some lumps as a freshman in the upper weights, barely posting a record above .500. Just when Doyle thought he was wrestling at a high level the sport humbled him. Losses against Southeast Polk state champion Dylan Blackford and a Division I opponent at a national freestyle event provided a 'rude awakening.'

'I went to nationals, expecting to be an All-American, and Mark expected me to be an All-American,' Doyle said. 'I came up short. I had to look in the mirror at that point and really decide whether I wanted to keep pursuing it to the extent that I would. It was something I knew I wanted to do.'

At that point, his athletic passion shifted from football to wrestling. It became the decisive factor in choosing Harvard over a chance for West's standout linebacker and tight end to walk-on at Iowa. He received support from his father, encouraging him to do what was best for himself.

'I was the most comfortable there,' said Doyle, who has family out East. 'It's the best fit, by far, for me.

'I knew if I was going to wrestle it would be there. If I was going to play football, it would be Iowa. I'd probably walk on just to play for my dad. It would be a dream come true (and) to play for Kirk Ferentz, who is somebody that I have a lot of respect for.'

Doyle owns a 3.8 grade-point average and entertained Ivy League aspirations after scoring 35 on his ACT. He realized there is a bridge for success in sports and studies.

'I think there is somewhat of a correlation,' Doyle said. 'I have always been like conceptually smart. I can pick up on ideas faster than others. I kind of figured out early in my career the way to be successful in wrestling was to do all the little things right and work hard. It will all come, eventually.

'I picked that up early. It's little things like how many hours of sleep you get, your diet, it's all that. I've developed a pretty good understanding of how to improve as quickly as I have.'

Reiland noticed strides midway through Doyle's first year. They were consistent from his seventh-place state finish as a sophomore to a fourth-place finish as a junior, winning 46 bouts in each season.

'He's added to what he had,' Reiland said. 'He had one or two things he could go to as a freshman. Each year he's added another takedown or another turn. He just keeps working to get better in some of those areas. He's gotten bigger and stronger. All those things play a part. He knows what it takes to compete.'

Doyle devoted himself to spring and summer wrestling, traveling across the country including stops at Fargo (N.D.), Oklahoma City and Las Vegas.

'This off-season, I worked harder than I ever have,' said Doyle, who has 117 career victories. 'You want to get rid of that bad taste in your mouth. I wrestled hard. I wrestled the best I ever have this summer in the freestyle and Greco-Roman circuit.'

Every ounce of sweat and each sore muscle from workouts has been worth it, but his sights are set on a state title. Doyle won't stop working and learning until he reaches that goal.

'I think anybody who is really a competitor who considers themselves a serious wrestler has an all or nothing feel to it,' Doyle said. 'Obviously, I'm grateful for everything I've accomplished to this point and don't think it's all gone to waste. It's all led to where I am at today, even the disappointment. My goal is to be on top of the podium when February comes around.'

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