Family has served a key role in the wrestling career of Iowa’s Drake Ayala

IOWA CITY – University of Iowa’s Drake Ayala admits to enjoying the peaks and withstanding the valleys during his wrestling career.

For the highs, like reaching the NCAA finals last year, and the lows of losses, injuries and missed opportunities, he has always had his family at his side.

“My family's huge,” Ayala said. “Me and my family are really, really close. Me and my brother (Hawkeye teammate Dru) are really close. We actually live together here. He's here now and they've just been behind me all throughout the whole way.

“All the ups, all the downs. I've had a lot of downs, too. Some successful wrestlers don't have as many downs, but I've had those and they've stuck with me through that and they're awesome.”

Wrestling courses through the Ayalas’ veins and will be pumping Friday when second-ranked Iowa hosts No. 9 Illinois in a Big Ten Conference dual at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, beginning at 6 p.m. No. 3 Ayala is expected to face the Illini’s No. 2 Lucas Byrd at 133 pounds.

“I think the best way to approach it is just how we always talk about the next one is the biggest one,” Ayala said. “So, this is the next one, this is the biggest match on tap.

“The thing about college wrestling – Division I college wrestling – people don't understand is every match is tough. I don't put this one on a pedestal and I keep my routine the same. Do the same things and that’s what works for me.”

At least part of his family will be in the crowd. Dru is a freshman listed at 125 and 133 pounds for Iowa. His mom, Angie, will attend as well. Younger brother Knox is competing at the 70 th Annual Tulsa Nationals this weekend, so his dad, Sam, is trying to iron out his schedule.

“My dad is taking Knox to Tulsa on Friday and he’s trying to figure out if he’s going to drive through the night to make it to Tulsa,” Ayala said. “He doesn’t know what he’s going to do, but my mom will be here, regardless.”

The dilemma demonstrates the lengths the Ayalas will take to support their sons’ dreams and passion for the sport. Family helps center Ayala, keeping him grounded when things are good and lifting him up when things aren’t as good for the two-time national qualifier.

So, which do they help him with the most?

“Definitely the lows,” Ayala said. “I feel like when you're at the high, it's like I need them to kind of like mellow me out, right? But at the lows, it's when you really need them.”

This season is a little different. He is consistently surrounded by family, living and training with Dru. The duo wrestled together at Fort Dodge. Drake was a three-time state champion and four-time finalist with a 171-3 record, becoming a two-time freestyle national titlist and one of the most coveted recruits in the country. Dru was a four-time state finalist, who finished his prep career with 153 wins.

The older Ayala said they still scrap a lot together. He noted that they were wrestling together a couple days before Ayala posted a technical fall in Iowa’s 45-0 win Sunday at Wisconsin. Do they scrap in the practice room or the living room?

“A little bit of both,” Ayala said with a laugh.

But living with a sibling isn’t perfect. Drake is in his fourth year at Iowa. Dru is a newbie and has some adjustments to make during college life. Apparently, big brother has to show him some kitchen skills.

“The dude doesn't know how to cook,” Ayala said with a laugh. “So, that's a learning curve for him, right now. We got a bunch of black cards, so he eats out a lot right now, but we got to teach him how to cook at some point.”

Wrestling has been Ayala’s love since he was a youth. He said he was too small for some sports and wasn’t athletic enough for football or basketball. Ayala agreed that he was destined to be a wrestler.

“I just really liked it, and I really enjoyed it, and I had success in it,” Ayala said. “When you have success in something, especially when you're younger, you tend to enjoy things.

He added, “It's always just kind of been in my blood – my family's blood – so it was definitely something that something that I loved to do.”

Ayala is 10-1 up one weight class from a year ago. He has displayed more offense, tying for the lead among starters with seven bonus-point victories and tying for second with five technical falls.

The phrase “Let it fly” applies to Ayala when he’s at his best, putting up points.

“I think you saw it,” Brands said. “He gave up a takedown in the Wisconsin dual. It doesn't matter the level of competition and he got himself right back in it. And that's what you got to do. You’re uninterrupted. Some things happen that go your way, you build on that, and some things happen that don't go your way and you got to get back in it.”

Brands described Ayala as a tough son of a gun. He also noted that one probable difference in his wrestling from this time last season is more consistency.

“That has to do with mat time,” Brands said. “The more that he's on the mat, uninterrupted, the better. He's quite the competitor.”

The 133-pound bout is one of nine possible matchups between ranked wrestlers. Illinois (7-1, 2-1) is looking for its first win against the Hawkeyes during Brands’ tenure. Iowa (7-0, 1-0) has won 12 straight duals against the Illini.

“I know they feel good about their team,” Brands said. “They may even have been talking to some of our guys since this summer. Some of our guys from Illinois this summer. So, they really like their team that they're putting on the mat. We got to be ready to go.”

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