Editor’s Note: Roy Hall, 37, has spent the past 12 years serving as the head coach at Davison (Mich.) High School where he was named National Coach of the Year in 2006 and has produced at least three wrestlers who have excelled on the college level: Nebraska’s Paul Donahoe, who won an NCAA championship at 125 pounds last year; Iowa’s Brent Metcalf, who is ranked No. 1 at 149 pounds in his first year with the Hawkeyes; and Iowa State’s Jon Reader, who is competing for the Cyclones at 165 pounds as a redshirt freshmen. Hall recently spoke to W.I.N. editor Mike Finn shortly after his team earned a No. 1 ranking in the state of Michigan’s Class A.

Q      You have had three wrestlers who have made it really big on  the college level in Nebraska’s Paul Donahoe, Iowa’s Brent Metcalf and Iowa State’s Jon Reader. What is the common thread that all possess that has allowed them to succeed on the Div. I college level?
A      Their passion for the sport. Those guys are mat rats who love the sport. Day-to-day, all three of their mindsets are to get better and not be satisfied.

Q      Did they possess that passion before they got to Davison?
A      Yes and another common thing was the parental support those three guys got, which was pretty amazing. When parent stay in a real positive manner of support and not get in the way, they support me and the program whole-heartedly. The kids see that support and trust in the program. It opens up the kids’ minds and allows a good relationship to happen and things to progress. I had those kids in the same room since they were little guys and they were all great competitors. I chuckle now thinking about them.

Q      When do you start working with high school wrestlers to make the adjustment to college?
A      That’s different for everybody.  Paul was always really good, but in speaking of his physical maturity, I don’t know how much he could have done until he got to high school. He didn’t weigh 100 pounds as a freshman. Paul was so mentally tough and driven. If his college coaches take care of the things he shouldn’t have to worry about, it will help him be the best that he can be.

Q      I’ve heard college coaches say they like working with high school kids who are still hungry. Is that true about these guys?
A That’s what I meant when I spoke about their passion. Some kids get a knock if they are a blue-chipper who doesn’t make it. No matter how dominant you are in high school, it doesn’t matter at the next level. We see it every year where a young college wrestler starts off strong, then fades as the season goes on. You’ve got to find that blinding desire. I know sometimes colleges get caught up in recruiting credentials. They have to find out if those kids really have that burning passion to get better every day. Those three guys are going to be like that forever.

Q Of those three, Brent Metcalf has really caught the imagination of fans, especially those from Iowa who have seen him take charge. While he was at Davison, he had a lot of great moments, including going unbeaten in his career, winning four state championships and later six Junior National titles. But he also went through some tough times recently from losing his brother, Chase, in an auto accident a couple years ago, and then having to sit out two years after first signing with Virginia Tech before transferring to Iowa with Tom Brands. Why did those tough times not derail him from nearly reaching his wrestling goals?
A I just spoke to his father last week about this. Brent was Brent, starting in third grade. There is no difference from the third-grade Brent and today’s Brent. On a personal level, I don’t think he has dealt with his brother’s death, yet. I heard people say that (Chase’s death) inspired Brent, but I don’t think so. Again, I credit his parents. That kid is very determined, very focused. That’s what I saw from him when he was a young kid.

Q      Getting back to Chase, Davison High School honors him with a scholarship. What of Chase’s character do you now share with current wrestlers?
A We have a large senior class this year that grew up with Chase, who was really the first person in the program who set it on fire and I think the younger guys benefitted from that. He was a great spirit and was going to be an outstanding coach. He was also a great teammate and he had the personality to create a good buffer. He wasn’t threatening to people and could keep everyone at ease. That’s what was cool about Chase and his character.

Q      You were a very successful wrestler at Davison. When did you decide that you wanted to be a coach and why?
A      I grew up in the tough situation. I first went to a smaller school that did not have wrestling, but I started going to Davison wrestling camps as a kid and absolutely loved it. Even in high school, I would drive up to Davison all by myself to practice. My parents were supportive and knew that was my thing. In high school, I wanted to be a Class A state champion at a big school. My parents even had me live with relatives while I went to Davison just because I wanted to be a Class A state champ. I also knew that I always wanted to be a coach. During my senior year when I signed my athletic scholarship, I told reporters that my goal was to come back to Davison. I said what I wanted to do and I did it.

Q      Other than show wrestlers the techniques of wrestling, what else do you teach your wrestlers?
A      When I speak to kids about wrestling, there is something in it for everybody.  We have kids who don’t start until they are junior and seniors and have great experiences. We never point to it’s just about winning. It’s about testing yourself.  It’s a sport where you are on your back and learn to fight off it. If you choose not to fight off your back, it’s probably a good indicator to how you are going to deal with life.  Those are values you learn about yourself. It doesn’t mean that you have to win a state championship to be successful. Just as long as you don’t quit. If you do your best, the program is going to be successful in many ways, including academically.

Q      Did you ever want to coach on the college level?
A      I did when I first went to college and I hung out at Purdue for a while. I’ve had some opportunities recently, but I really enjoy what I do and I really think I can have a great impact on what I’m doing.

Q     Some people say that kids are not what they used to be. What do you say?

A      I don’t believe that. I always think that is said as an excuse because when I was in high school, I heard the same thing. It perpetuates itself all the time. The things I put these guys through was amazing. If you treat people well and they know you truly care about them and have an interest in them as a human being, they can do great things by themselves. If you don’t take the time to show someone that you are committed, why would they? People will do as much as you expect of them.

Q      What advice do you give parents when their kids join your team?
A      It’s nice to hang a state championship banner in the gym but its intrinsic rewards that you get; that you’ve accomplished something on a day-to-day basis that 99 percent of the people in the school and community cannot do. You can walk in any room in your life and hold your head up high and know that you can physically outwork people. Those are the greatest traits that you can have: the ability to work hard and know that you can outwork anyone.