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With the number of California Community Colleges that were fielding wrestling teams continuing to dwindle, high school athletes were faced with the decision to travel farther distances if they wanted to continue their wrestling careers. The same situation faced Brandon Doran, who was a two-time DeAnza League champion and two-time CIF Qualifier coming out of Yucca Valley High, which was a two-hour drive to the Norwalk campus. He took a circuitous route that sent him to the University of Nevada, who only fielded a club team. After a semester there, Doran came back home and immediately got into coaching at his high school.

Doran then made the decision to resume his education and wrestling career and moved to the Norwalk area to compete for the Falcons from 2005-06. He had a very successful career and was an All-American (2006) after reaching the finals of the CCCAA State Championships as a sophomore. As a freshman, he placed fifth at the state championships and second at the Southern California Championships. He was the SoCal champion as a sophomore and had a combined 54-16 record in his two seasons with the Falcons.

With his performance in a Cerritos singlet, he continued the school's long-standing tradition of successful heavyweights. At the time of his arrival, the program had already produced four state champions and 15 All-Americans at that weight class and Doran allowed the Falcons to continue to add to those numbers. He looked to add to the school's list of state champions during his sophomore season. In that state championship match his sophomore season, Doran was facing Erik Dye of Sierra College. In the match, Doran looked to get an underhook against Nye, but fell victim to two of his quick leg moves and was taken down twice. On the second takedown, Nye was able to record the pin and capture the title, which prevented Doran from winning the championship. Even with the loss in the finals, his success continued to bring talented heavyweights to Cerritos, who now sport 24 All-Americans and six state champions.

Below is a Q&A with Brandon Doran:

What made you decide to come two hours west to Cerritos College after graduating from Yucca Valley High?
First off, it took me three years to make it to Cerritos College. Even though I had been originally recruited to Cerritos prior to graduating high school in 2002, I took a chance and decided to attend a four-year university - University of Nevada - Reno. While University of Nevada - Reno didn't have an official team, I did wrestle for a club team up there. Unfortunately, I didn't like the school, so after the first semester I moved back home, regretting my decision to go to Reno instead of Cerritos. However, I got involved coaching at my old high school - Yucca Valley High School - with my old coach, a man who eventually became the coach for the USA Women's Olympic/National Wrestling team. After coaching with him for two years, he encouraged me to pursue my education and my own wrestling dreams, so I made the choice to attend Cerritos College the following fall semester.

What was your first impression of both the school and Cerritos wrestling program?
I had been to Cerritos College a couple times before when it hosted one of the biggest pre-season wrestling tournaments in the state of California, but remained in and around the gym area. When I finally enrolled and toured the campus, it was bigger than I had expected it to be. We have a small community college in my hometown and I assumed that Cerritos would be about the same size. You can imagine my surprise when I found myself lost while trying to find my classes on a campus four times the size of my high school! As for the wrestling program, it lived up to the expectations I had established from my time in my very successful high school program.

How much of an adjustment was it for you to adapt to college wrestling?
It was definitely a different level in terms of aggression - I think that was my biggest adjustment. Even though I naturally had a brawler style of wrestling, aggression in college wrestling was at a whole new level; everyone fought hard. However, the severity of practice and conditioning was pretty similar to my high school wrestling room. My high school coach had been a multiple time Greco Roman national place winner in Russia and had also been a resident athlete at their Olympic Training Center in Moscow. Consequently, the training regimen he brought to our high school wrestling room was intense and it helped prepare me for the rigors of college training.

You competed for two different head coaches while at Cerritos. What were the differences between Steve Glassey and Donny Garriott?
There were many differences between Steve and Coach Garriott. The biggest difference between them is the way they treated their athletes. Steve treated his athletes more like we were employees and Coach Garriott treated us like we were family. Coach Gariott celebrated our wins and felt for us in our losses. He was (and still is) compassionate, intense, and you know that he cares for you as a person not just as an athlete. I learned so much more about life while under his tutelage. He is the second most influential coach that I have had, eclipsed only by my high school coach. He has been an awesome mentor and I am grateful that he remains part of my life.

Were you aware of the long history of successful heavyweights at Cerritos College? Did that intimidate you at all?
I was made aware of the long tradition of successful heavyweights through my interactions with (former head coach) Jeff Smith, the man that started it all with his accomplishments at Cerritos. I have always held myself to a standard, so I wasn't intimidated by it all, but rather, proud to have been a small part of it. Interestingly enough, I ended up wrestling former heavyweight great Hossin Oushani in the Halloween Open two years before enrolling in Cerritos. He smashed me, but it was an awesome experience and it helped to solidify my decision that Cerritos was the place to go when the time came to leave Yucca Valley.

What do you remember most about the state championship finals match in your sophomore season, where you came in second place?
Ouch, this is a rough question. I don't like to think about that match much because I got stuck. But, I would have to say the thing I remember most is that after the match I was pretty upset and Coach Garriott hugged me and told me how proud he was of me and that I should be proud of what I accomplished that season.

What are some of your best memories about your time at Cerritos College, both as a student and athlete?
As an athlete, I would have to say that most memorable experiences happened on the long bus trips to and from competitions. It's where some of my lifelong friendships were formed. As a student, my most memorable experiences were in the athletic training room as an athletic training student. It was enjoyable hanging out and developing relationships with other athletes from different sports. Also, I cherish the relationships I developed with (trainers) Bev Sweet and Brian Cable and (Sports Information Director) John Van Gaston.

What did you do after leaving Cerritos? Did you continue your wrestling career?
After I left Cerritos College I took a gap year before enrolling into another four-year university. In 2008, I enrolled at California Baptist University to be a part of their new wrestling program. Unfortunately, I battled some injuries during my time there and I wasn't able to compete.

Did you compete in any national or international tournaments during your career? If so, how well did you do?
I competed in two national tournaments in 2007. The first one was the USA Wrestling Senior Greco Roman Nationals where I took 7th and earned a spot to compete in the World Team Trials that year. The second national tournament I competed in that year was the USA Wrestling University Greco Roman Nationals and I took 3rd in that competition. 

When did you decide that you wanted to be a wrestling coach?
I decided I wanted to be a wrestling coach when I was in my senior year in high school. That decision was reinforced after my experiences at Cerritos College. I love working with kids.

How long have you been the head coach at Temecula Valley High? How have your teams done in your time with the program?
Well, I'm not the head coach of Temecula Valley High School, but I am an Assistant Varsity Coach and also the JV Head Coach. I left my position as Head Coach at Yucca Valley High School and moved down to Temecula to be closer to my girlfriend-now-wife, Christen, in 2012. I wasn't looking to be a head coach at that time because I knew I was going to be starting a family. TVHS allowed me to be part of a program while releasing me from the pressures of being a head coach during that time in my life.

It has been an experience being here at Temecula Valley High School. I have been able to learn from California Wrestling Hall of Fame coaches Arnold Alpert and Lyndon Campbell. While I have been at TVHS, they have led the program to a 30-year undefeated league record, they won multiple CIF Championships, and they have had multiple state placers and qualifiers - many of whom I have been able to work with on a regular basis. Right now, my brother-in-law is currently wrestling for the program and was a CIF finalist as a sophomore last year and will be looking to do big things this year at 220lb weight class.

Tell me a little bit about your home life. How long have you and your wife been married and how many kids do you have?
My wife Christen (pictured, left with Brandon) and I have been married for almost eight years now. We have three sons, Carter (6 years old), Robert (5 years Old), and Aleksander (3 years old). They all keep me on my toes and are my life. My wife just finished her Master's degree and Teaching Credential and is a substitute teacher in Temecula Valley Unified School District. We live about 40 miles away from Temecula in the mountains between Temecula and Palm Desert. We live on some land and have horses, chickens, and other animals. My sons are definitely getting a different experience growing up than I did and they seem to love it. My wife also homeschool's our boys. I don't know what I would be doing if I didn't have them in my life.

Do your kids know about your wrestling history? Have they expressed an interest in getting into wrestling?
My boys know that I wrestled and that my job is coaching wrestling but they aren't old enough to know and understand my history. They are actually more interested in how their uncle does during his wrestling tournaments and football games. But, I will tell them my story at some point. I have always wrestled with them in our house. It's our fun time. I did officially start my two oldest boys a couple of years again and my youngest this year. It's the perks of being the kid's club coach. It's nothing too serious. I just put them on the mat and make it fun. Maybe, one day they will want to compete and fall in love with this sport, but I'm not going to push it.

What do you like to do in your free time? Hobbies/interests?
Free time? What? What is that? Just kidding. When I do get free time, I go to the beach with my family, do movie nights, go on family vacations, watch sports, just try to get as much time in with my wife and boys as I can.