Home / Sports

IOWA CITY – Chad Beatty refuses to make excuses.

The better part of Beatty’s wrestling career at the University of Iowa has been defined by injuries.

From concussions and knee surgeries to a dislocated elbow, the two-time state champion from Wilton High School has endured his share of bad luck.

“Injuries are relative,” Beatty said. “Everybody has them, but it’s how you deal with them. I can always get better at that.”

Beatty doesn’t have to look any further than his father, Paul, on how to tackle adversity.

Seven years ago, while helping family friends trim down a tree, Paul fell 15 feet to the ground. His tailbone took the impact, severing his spinal cord and rupturing three vertebrae. Since then, Paul has been paralyzed from the waist down.

“It’s motivated me because he’s tough in what he’s had to go through,” Beatty said. “He never complains, he never seems to falter in his goal. His goal has been the same — to walk again.”

While Beatty was talking about the season ahead with the media Wednesday, his father was getting stem cell treatment in Germany.

Live stem cells were taken from Paul’s hip and placed in the location where the spinal cord was severed.

“He just had the procedure done,” Beatty said. “He had almost five million stem cells put into his spine.”

Beatty is scheduled to pick his father and mother, Karen, up at the airport Sunday.

“The surgery has a very high rate of success,” said Beatty, who believes it will take a week or two to determine how successful the surgery was for his dad. “Every patient that’s been there has improved a lot.

“Finally, he’s got the tools to get the right treatment done and his normalcy back. It’s great.”

Beatty’s teammates and coaches have been involved every step of the way.

Because of the expense of the surgery and trip, Beatty’s teammates showed their support by conducting a wrestling camp in Strawberry Point for two days this summer.

All the proceeds went to funding Paul’s trip. Other events were also held, including a silent auction and a 5K run/walk.

“There’s not a better example for a guy who has been dealt a bad hand and had to persevere and  overcome than Paul Beatty,” Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands said. “Look where he’s at now. He’s doing everything he can in his power to get it done.

“That’s powerful stuff.”

 On the mat

Beatty, who compiled a 109-7 record at Wilton that included a pair of perfect seasons, has witnessed numerous twists and turns to his college career.

After registering a 7-1 record as a redshirt freshman at 174 pounds, Beatty was thrown a curveball when coach Jim Zalesky wasn’t retained and Brands was hired.

“It’s been a lot different,” Beatty said. “When the new guys moved in, a new philosophy moved in. It really strengthened our program and really changed the way people came in to work out and changed the culture around here.

“I’m glad I’m a part of it.”

Stuck behind All-American Eric Luedke in his second year, Beatty competed in just six matches.

As a redshirt sophomore, Beatty moved up from 174 to 197. He finished with a 10-12 record and continued to be hampered with injuries.

Last year, Beatty posted a 19-6 record, placed fourth at the Big Ten Championships and qualified for the national tournament despite another round of injuries. He ended the dual season on an eight-match winning streak.

“I just had more confidence in myself,” he said. “Maybe I was finally realizing my goal a little bit more. It was that time in my career that I turned a leaf and just started wrestling like I should wrestle.”

Brands said Beatty has learned to fight through obstacles.

“He’s taken some big steps to maturity and he’s putting the other stuff behind him,” Brands said. “A lot of times it takes guys awhile to get bad stuff out of their career.

“In his mind, he had to put some of that stuff to rest by going through it.”

 Last call

Wrestling at less than 100 percent, last year’s national tournament in St. Louis continues to stick in Beatty’s craw.

After dropping his opening match to Oklahoma State’s Clayton Foster 8-5, Beatty rebounded with a consolation win against Eastern Michigan’s John McClure, 10-4.

Then, trying to keep his quest alive to become an All-American, Beatty was ousted from the tournament with a 3-1 sudden victory loss to Stanford’s Luke Feist.

“I regret nationals last year a lot,” Beatty said. “I think about it all the time, always playing it back in my mind. I don’t think, ‘What if I was healthy?’ I think, ‘What if I pulled the trigger? What if I got that last takedown, or got a reversal?’

“It stinks, and I don’t like it. I didn’t finish the way I wanted.”

With that, a healthy Beatty enters his final season with something to prove.

“I’m anxious and excited,” he said. “I don’t have any pressure on myself. I don’t know if I’m under the radar or didn’t wrestle to my capabilities the last couple of years, but I’m a lot better now than I was last March.

“I want to do well for myself and my family.”

Beatty defeated junior Luke Lofthouse in a wrestle-off last week, 7-3, to earn the spot at 197.

Now his goal is continuing to get better and eventually landing a spot on the podium come March at the national tournament in Omaha.

“It’s not one last chance, its one more opportunity,” Beatty said. “There’s a lot of hard work involved. I just got to continue to do what I’ve been doing, taking care of my body and mind and paying attention to what’s going on around me.”

Brands is anticipating a big year from his senior.

“He’s confident now in his ability to win,” he said. “He’s won some big matches in his career. He’s got the right mindset now to have a lot of success.”

Chad Beatty profile

Year: Senior

Weight: 197 pounds

Hometown: Wilton

Parents: Paul and Karen Beatty

High school: Beatty was 109-7 with a pair of undefeated seasons and state titles. Coached by Kevin Brisker, Beatty set school records for most takedowns in a season (174) and career (388).

College: Beatty has a 33-20 career record, with his best season coming last year. He was 19-6, including a 16-3 mark in dual competition. Six of his wins were either by major decision or pin. Beatty qualified for nationals and went 1-2 in St. Louis.