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Monday, September 1, 2008
Smashing Return
Western Arkansas, AR
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By: Don Lowe
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Photo(s) By: Kim Singer
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Southside’s John Doohan bounces back from medical issues
FAST FACTS
John Doohan
Class: Sr.
Height:
Weight:
Notable: This December, Doohan and his dad, Peter, travel to San Diego for a prestigious USTA national father-son championship tournament.
Quotable: "He's not one of those dads that's in my face and pressuring me to do well," Doohan said of his well-known father, Peter, the former Arkansas Razorbacks legend who upset Boris Becker at Wimbledon in 1987. "I do have some sort of pressure that I put on myself, because everybody in the tennis community knows his name. But, I know I'll never be able to live up to some of his accomplishments."
Throughout most of 2008, Fort Smith Southside Rebels senior tennis star John Doohan appeared to finally be at 100 percent.
And, Doohan's rankings reflected his resurgence as he climbed to fourth (18U boys singles) and second (18U doubles with teammate Beau Bashum, Alma) in Arkansas' United States Tennis Association (USTA) junior division by late July.
Even more impressively, Doohan teamed with his dad (former University of Arkansas standout Peter Doohan) to land a USTA No. 1 ranking (father-son doubles play) in Southern Sectionals (eight-state region covering Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina).
Doohan's remarkable accomplishments and any hopes he has for leading Fort Smith Southside to success this fall seemed impossible as a result of difficult health problems (cancerous growth on his groin and virus that attacked his heart). Those setbacks took their toll on Doohan in 2007.
Actually, Doohan recalled that his struggles with illnesses began when he was about 13 or 14 years old and in the eighth grade. "I was having a pain in my groin for about two and a half years," Doohan said. "I went to different doctors. They kept saying that I had a deep muscle tear and gave me inflammatory (medication). They said I needed to rest it. But, it's hard to do that and play a lot of tennis."
After dealing with pain for an extended period of time, an MRI (during his 10th grade year) revealed a tumor in Doohan's left leg. "It was called a neural sheath tumor," Doohan said. "I went to a neurosurgeon in Jackson, Miss. He removed the tumor and told us it was benign. They found the tumor at the end of December (2006) and I had surgery in January (2007). We were under the impression that it was fine. But, seven weeks later (March), they called and said it (tumor) was malignant."
It was then quickly on to St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. where Doohan went through a similar surgery to ensure the cancer hadn't spread to surrounding tissue. Doohan was again given a clean bill of health, but he wasn't able to resume his tennis career. "I couldn't play in any tournaments that summer (2007) and dropped to No. 40 (in USTA statewide junior rankings)."
By the start of his junior year in high school, Doohan seemed to be back in top form, only to be sidelined again. "I was having chest pains and my mom sent me to the emergency room," Doohan said. "They took me to Arkansas Children's Hospital … I had caught a virus that could have just given me a common cold. Instead, it attacked my heart."
Rebels third-year head coach Barbara Daniels believes Doohan changed his perspective. "He's gone through so much," she said. "It's opened his eyes about what's important in life."
While it has been an life-altering, Doohan admits he was definitely discouraged with the obstacles. "It was real frustrating," he said. "I had just gone through all the trouble with my leg (and then had to deal with the virus). It was having a 'What's next' kind of feeling. But, you just have to be able to take what's thrown at you. I had to handle it.
"I had a lot of support from my family and friends. And, I kept saying to myself that things can't get any worse … just keep plugging away and things will get better."
There has been such dramatic improvement that Daniels is counting on Doohan to come through in a big way for the Rebels this season. "He's really stepped up as a leader on and off the court," she said. "This past spring, late in the school year, is when he really cracked the whip.
"He has his game and knows what he's going to do and sticks with it. … He's got the overall package now that he's got his health back."
And, a healthy Doohan is optimistic about his chances of completing his prep career on a high note, while he figures the Rebels to be a championship contender. "I'm putting high expectations on myself and I think we could make a run at a team title," he suggested.
Regardless of how things play out for this talented student-athlete during his final year in high school, Doohan seems excited about his future, both on and off the court. "I've already started getting calls from college coaches," he said. "But, I haven't decided yet (about playing tennis collegiately). I might go (to college) on my grades.
"I really want to go into the medical field and these past experiences I've had just fueled my desire to do that. But, I'll still always play (tennis) competitively."
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