CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Professional Football Player
- College Football Scholarship Athlete
- USA Wrestling Silver Certified Coach
- Youth Wrestling Coach Since 2011
- Wrestler Since 1992
- Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
THE WRESTLER'S APPROACH TO STRENGTH
Don'tray Collins brings a perspective to strength and conditioning that few coaches possess: he understands wrestling strength from the inside out. Having wrestled since 1992 and later competing at the highest levels of football, Collins learned a critical lesson that separates him from conventional strength coaches—wrestling success isn't built on brute strength alone.
This distinction is fundamental. While many strength coaches approach wrestling conditioning the same way they'd train a football player or powerlifter, Collins knows better. His years on the mat taught him that wrestling demands a unique blend of explosive power, muscular endurance, flexibility, and the ability to maintain technique under extreme fatigue.
SPORT-SPECIFIC CONDITIONING EXPERTISE
Collins's dual background in wrestling and professional football provides him unparalleled insight into what truly makes wrestlers successful. He understands that a wrestler needs:
- Power endurance rather than maximum strength—the ability to execute explosive movements repeatedly across six-minute matches
- Core stability and rotational strength for maintaining position and executing throws
- Grip and postural endurance that outlasts opponents in extended tie-ups
- Flexibility and mobility to hit techniques from compromised positions
- Cardiovascular conditioning that mirrors match intensity and rhythm
- Strength that enhances rather than inhibits wrestling-specific movement patterns
This wrestling-first philosophy ensures athletes develop the exact physical qualities needed for mat success, rather than generic strength that may actually hinder performance.
FROM MAT TO FIELD AND BACK
Collins's journey from youth wrestler to college football scholarship athlete to professional football player demonstrates the transferability of wrestling's mental and physical toughness. The discipline, work ethic, and resilience he developed through wrestling enabled his success at football's highest levels.
After his professional football career, Collins returned to his roots in 2011, bringing his accumulated knowledge back to the wrestling community. His experience competing in both sports provides a unique comparative framework—he knows exactly what physical qualities wrestling demands because he's lived both worlds.
INTELLIGENT PROGRAMMING
Collins's strength and conditioning programs reflect his wrestler's understanding of the sport. Rather than chasing numbers in the weight room, his approach focuses on:
- Developing strength in wrestling-specific positions and movement patterns
- Building work capacity that matches or exceeds match demands
- Enhancing recovery to support high-volume practice schedules
- Injury prevention through proper mobility and structural balance
- Periodization that peaks athletes for tournament performance
- Individual assessment—recognizing that different wrestlers need different physical development
This intelligent, sport-specific approach produces wrestlers who are stronger in the ways that matter on the mat, not just in the weight room.
CHARACTER AND MENTORSHIP
Beyond physical development, Collins is committed to using athletics as a platform for character development. As a USA Wrestling Silver Certified Coach and youth ministry director, he emphasizes:
- Discipline and self-control both on and off the mat
- Faith-based principles and Biblical wisdom
- Positive life habits and decision-making
- Mental toughness and resilience
- Leadership and personal responsibility
Collins believes the lessons learned through wrestling and proper training extend far beyond competition, shaping young athletes into men and women of character.
HOLISTIC ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT
Collins's passion for bodybuilding and personal fitness demonstrates his commitment to understanding the body and optimal training methods. This dedication to his own physical development ensures he stays current with training science while maintaining credibility through personal practice.
His approach considers the whole athlete—not just their physical capabilities, but their mental preparation, character development, and long-term health. Wrestlers training under Collins develop not just as athletes, but as disciplined, well-conditioned individuals prepared for life's challenges.
THE COLLINS DIFFERENCE
What sets Don'tray Collins apart is simple but profound: he knows wrestling from a wrestler's perspective. He's felt the unique demands of the sport—the burning lungs in the third period, the grip fatigue in overtime, the full-body exhaustion of a tournament day. This experiential knowledge informs every conditioning session and strength program he designs.
Wrestlers working with Collins don't just get stronger—they get wrestling strong. They develop the specific physical qualities that translate directly to mat performance, guided by someone who understands the sport from the inside.
Don'tray Collins and his wife GioVanni are the parents of three children.
