The 'From The Heart' feature series takes an in-depth look at St. Bonaventure student-athletes and coaches. Named for the beloved Merton's Heart that overlooks campus, this series tells the stories of Bonnies athletic programs on and off the field. Click here for previous installments in the series. 

Over 400 St. Bonaventure University student-athletes from 20 Division I teams train regularly in the Reilly Center weight room where director of strength and conditioning Darryn Fiske has directed their development since 1999. 

Fiske, a native of Albany, N.Y. and a graduate from the University at Buffalo, initially planned to work in physical therapy, but after working an internship as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Buffalo football program, he discovered his passion for athletic training.

"Physical therapy wasn't for me," Fiske said. "I interned with our football strength coach at UB and instantly knew that's what I wanted to do. Once I found out this is what I wanted to do, I was full steam ahead, and this is my 30th year in the profession."

After his time at Buffalo, Fiske spent two years as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Cincinnati and a year at Miami University of Ohio where he worked with several sports.

While at Miami of Ohio, Fiske received a call from then-Bonnies men's soccer head coach Bill Brady asking if he would be interested in taking a job with Bonaventure. 

"My wife is from this area, so before I had a chance to say yes or no, she said yes," Fiske recalls. "Two days later, I got the call officially asking me if I wanted the job."

Fiske, who's in his 27th year at Bonaventure, said he believed he'd only be with the Bonnies for a short period of time.

"When I first got here, I thought I'd be here a year or two," Fiske said. "A funny thing then happened. The first year I got here, our basketball team went to the NCAA Tournament, and we played a double overtime game against Kentucky. I can remember it to this day. Most of the arena was Kentucky blue. All of a sudden, we took Kentucky to overtime, and then all the other schools that were in our section were cheering for us by the end of the game. Then something switched, and I wasn't looking to leave. This place has been home, and it is a part of who I am."

With 20 teams to oversee, maximizing athletic development sits at the core of Fiske's role. Fiske attempts to maximize growth through a simple framework. 

"Training is training," Fiske said. "There are five things the human body can do: It can squat, push, pull, hinge, and rotate. We try to get our athletes in those areas. You see the sport, look at the needs analysis, and program your workouts accordingly within those five things. We then try to do movements that are similar to their sport."

During the summer, Fiske works primarily with both the men's and women's basketball teams. With the rise of NIL and the transfer portal, developing athletes has changed as well.

"It's way different now," Fiske said. "Before the portal, we had a chance to develop a total athlete for four years. People don't realize the Iron Man Five (Bona's 2021 Atlantic 10 Championship men's basketball squad of five returning starters) were a culmination of four years [of training]. Now, with new kids, we don't know where their athletic baseline is, so the first thing we have to do is physically test them. Then we can work with their weaknesses."

In addition to working with athletes, Fiske and his staff also communicate with coaches on a daily basis in an effort to have players play at peak performance. 

"I talk to coaches daily," Fiske said. "I let them know how everyone is doing, and if they have concerns, they can address them with me [and vice versa]. In the end, this is a means to an end. If you look at Frank Mitchell, he is a freak athlete. Let's say Frank makes a basket, somebody will go up to him and say, 'Hey, that was a great shot.' Nobody will ask him how much he squats or bench presses. What we do is to get the players physically prepared to play at a high level."

In Fiske's more than a quarter century at Bonaventure, he said making a positive impact on young athletes remains his motivation.

"My favorite part of the job is interacting with athletes on the floor," Fiske said. "I am 53, and working with 18-to-24-year-olds keeps me young. I love seeing kids be successful in their training. We only have a short time with these athletes, so we are trying to make as much of an impact as possible. Fifty percent of the job is science, and the other 50 percent is making an impact on somebody. To me, [making an impact] is worth more than money."

Fiske's impact has also been felt in the community through his work with the Great Strides Event, a walk that raises money for Cystic Fibrosis research and treatment. Over the years, the walk has had a nearly 100 percent participation rate from Bonaventure's athletic teams. In 2022, Fiske was named the 2022 CFF Buffalo Region Volunteer of the Year and has helped raise over $500,000 during the history of the event. 

"This is a family thing. I'm just proud to be part of it. We're determined to find a cure for CF. Because of the donations, my nephew is prospering and living a healthy life," Fiske said. "The support we've had from the Bonaventure community goes back to our Franciscan values. Our students are more than athletes; they care about their community. We're all one community."