Wrestling is a brutal sport. And every second on the mat is a fight. The athletes calculate every move and push every ounce of energy to its limit. But for Iowa wrestling coach Doug Schwab, it’s not about the wins, the takedowns, or the trophies. No, it’s about what happens beyond the mat. The NCAA wrestling season is in full swing. But despite being undefeated, Schwab is making sure his athletes are training for more than just competition. They’re training for life.

A recent heartfelt message from Allyson Schwab brought out a side of Doug Schwab that most people don’t get to see. He’s known for his laser-focused intensity during training and for his relentless push to bring out the best in his athletes. But once a match is over, once a scoreboard is set, Schwab steps into a different role. He becomes a mentor and a guide. Someone who makes sure his athletes remember not the matches but the journey itself.

Doug Schwab—more than a scoreboard coach

Discipline, preparation, and the deep understanding that wrestling is only one chapter in an athlete’s life are the core of Schwab’s coaching philosophy. He pushes his wrestlers hard to make sure they have what it takes to compete at the highest level. But when the match is over, he turns his attention to something just as important: his athlete’s experience in the world beyond wrestling.

“Winning is important, and he is all business when it comes to preparing guys or getting them what they need to perform their best,” Allyson Schwab wrote. “But when they walk off that mat, and the work is done, he makes sure to add something that creates a memory.”

Allyson Schwab captured this succinctly, with a share about how Doug will go out of his way to ensure that his team experiences things they will carry far beyond their careers in wrestling: taking a hike before flying out, exploring the new city if there is time on a layover, stopping to see the high school musical. And always understanding these are just as critical as any championship. His coaching does not just prepare athletes for a few years of competition; it prepares them for the decades beyond.

For many of those wrestlers, competing in college means traveling to places they’ve never seen, stepping into arenas filled with roaring crowds, feeling the highs and lows of elite competition. Schwab knows how the moments add up, so he makes sure his athletes drink it all in. He’s not just teaching them how to win on the mat; he is showing them how to embrace it off the mat.

Iowa wrestling dominance & the road ahead

Schwab’s philosophy pays dividends. Not only are Iowa wrestlers undefeated; they are steaming their way through, proving that this mix of discipline and camaraderie must be the winning formula. Or, as the UNI wrestling team did, sum up best on the latest post with the following statement. “Took care of business and made some memories on the way out this morning,” said the post.

Skies-high expectations, relentless pressure, gunning every opponent. But Schwab isn’t just trying to build Iowa to handle competition. He is also training them to thrive in any scenario. Any great team doesn’t get its real test in how they play out the season but, rather, how they respond when everything is on the line. Leading with Schwab, this Iowa squad isn’t looking at dominance but building something special to be remembered long after the season is over.

At the end of the day, Doug Schwab isn’t just churning out elite wrestlers; he’s building young men who will carry these life lessons with them for the rest of their lives. He is preparing his wrestlers not just for the NCAA season but for whatever life throws their way. People usually judge a coach like Schwab on what he and his team achieved on the mat. And what he may boast about years from now. His and their fond memories of these times. And the many life lessons to take long after stepping off the mat for the final time.

One thing’s for sure as Iowa continues to chalk up this undefeated season. And under Doug Schwab, they are winning a lot more than matches. The road ahead is full of challenges. It’s only going to get tougher from here for Iowa through this NCAA season. And they will be facing some of the best programs in the country. Let’s see what Iowa does next.