2016 U.S. OLYMPIAN - 57 kg FS Dennis makes most of his comeback by Richard Immel
The journey to the top has been any- thing but glamorous for 2016 Olympian Daniel Dennis. The 57 kg U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion in men’s freestyle wrestling is no stranger to failure. Dennis knows what it feels like to fall short of his goals, but he also knows how to adapt and overcome the fear of failure. After a rugged collegiate career at the University of Iowa, finishing in second place at the NCAA Championships as a senior, and instantly continuing into the post-grad freestyle scene, Dennis was battered. It was time to turn away from the sport that had grown to define him. “My body was beat down. I was getting older and I didn’t know how to really train. It was just a compilation of a lot of things going on. I didn’t have any goals in the sport. It was kind of just being aimless and not being focused on really achieving anything. I didn’t want to keep beating a dead horse,” said Dennis. In the spring of 2013, Dennis packed up everything he owned, hopped into his beat up 1986 Ford F-150, left Iowa City and headed West with no clear destina- tion in view. For five months, he slept in his truck, traveling to various campsites in the Rocky Mountain region. Dennis spent his days rock climbing and exploring the outdoors. His nights were spent curled up on the bench seat of his pickup reading. He often went weeks without seeing or speaking to another person. “I could have stayed anywhere,” he said. “I kind of wanted to go breathe some fresh air. There was probably five and a half months or so where I was just traveling around and sleeping in my truck. I had options on what I was going to do after, when I was ready.”
While it was a refreshing experience for Dennis, living the simple life wasn’t always easy. It did provide a new zest for life, one Dennis felt he needed. “Living not a comfortable lifestyle is a head game. It really is,” said Dennis. Dennis worked a handful of wrestling
camps and dead-end jobs to make ends meet and fuel his expedition of self-dis- covery. After returning to the circle of competition by winning the inaugural Tour ACW tournament, and getting prize money, Dennis upgraded from the F-150 to a full-sized trailer. For two years he lived in this trailer, until the Iowa City
faithful started making recruitment calls. When Dennis returned to the land of cell service, he was bombarded with calls, texts and voicemails. The freestyle rules had changed and many believed were perfect for the traveling Hawkeye. A voicemail from Iowa head man Tom Brands sticks out to Dennis as a turning point in his decision to return.
“It took a lot of convincing. It was in the back of my head, for sure, but I don’t think I would have done it without the support I had from all my friends and family. I think that was the deciding factor to make me actually commit to coming back,” said Dennis.
Dennis returned to compete at the 2015 U.S. Open at 61 kg where he fin- ished in fourth place. A couple months later he finished in second place at the U.S. World Team Trials. Even after such a high level of suc- cess, Dennis doubted if he should contin- ue through the Olympic year. “When I was debating on coming back I’m like, I’m putting myself in a position where you can fail again. Losing sucks and I don’t want to fail, but it’s not something I’m afraid to do. If I fail at something that’s my fault, but at least I tried,” said Dennis. After dropping to 57 kg, Dennis saw immediate success. He won the U.S. Open in December and was one of the favorites to win the U.S. Olympic Team Trials held on his home turf in Iowa City. “Going in to the tournament I felt good. I didn’t think that there was anybody that I couldn’t beat. I was just really focused on getting ready to wrestle. Luckily, I wres- tled close to my ability and things panned out the way they did,” said Dennis. He cruised through the Challenge
Tournament with impressive wins over past NCAA All-Americans Alan Waters and Tyler Graff. The lone obstacle that remained between Dennis and a trip to Rio was fellow Iowa Hawkeye and Hawkeye WC teammate Tony Ramos. Ramos had represented the U.S. at the last two World Championships and entered the Olympic Trials as the No. 1 seed. It was an all Iowa showdown in the 57 kg finals at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, in front of the ravenous Iowa City crowd. “Iowa City fans are crazy, and I mean that in a great way,” Dennis said. “They are fanatics. Half of them don’t know what they’re talking about and the other half are very knowledgeable and both
Daniel Dennis has his arm raised in victory at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. John Sachs photo.
halves are just excited. So, you get a lot of crazy things being said, but you get a lot of excitement. It’s a great environment to wrestle in.”
Dennis upended Ramos in two straight matches to capture a berth on the U.S. Olympic Team. He won the first bout 2-1 and capitalized on his deadly gutwrench in match two to take it by technical fall, 10-0. The Hawkeye arose in the center of Carver-Hawkeye Arena as a champion. “I know Tony. I’ve known him for a long
time. We have a long history together and I knew what to expect. I think he knew what to expect from me,” Dennis said. “There definitely was a sense of satisfaction that you accomplished what you set out to do.” Step one is now in the books for Dennis. Step two focuses on his prepara- tions for the Olympic Games. “I know what happened. I take it for
what it’s worth. You can make a lot out of it and get caught up in everything people are telling you or you can see what’s in front of you, and right now I’ve got a com- petition in New York first, and then in L.A. and over in Germany and then down in Rio. That’s where I have to focus on bringing it all back in,” he said.
15 USA Wrestler
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