The man on the other end said he was a coach from the University of Southwestern Louisiana and he wanted to travel from Lafayette to Wisconsin to recruit Doyle, an All-Conference lineman who was set to graduate that year.
Doyle had never heard of Lafayette. He had no idea what a Ragin� Cajun was. The phone call seemed a bit unreal to him.
A few days later, USL assistant football coach Raymond Blanco was at the Doyles� door.
More than three decades later, Jim Doyle remembers thinking that this Blanco guy wasn�t going to take no for an answer.
�Coach was a very persuasive recruiter,� Doyle laughed. �I think the clincher was when he took hold of my mother�s hand and told her, �Mama, if you send your son to USL, I�ll see that he goes to church!�
After that, Dorothy Doyle �was hooked,� her son remembered. Soon, Jim found himself visiting Lafayette, and later, moving his belongings into the football players� dorm. He was the Ragin� Cajuns� offensive tackle from 1967 to 1970.
�Lafayette had great weather, great food and wonderfully friendly people,� Doyle said. �There wasn�t a day I didn�t feel at home.�
Doyle joined the Alumni Association shortly after receiving his bachelor�s degree in business administration in 1971. He said his 30-year affiliation with the organization gives him the same sense of family he had during his early years in Lafayette.
�Being active with the Alumni Association is a good feeling. Returning to campus and working with the staff and other alumni has brought back so many memories. I have enjoyed all the volunteer work I have done on behalf of the university.�
There is a long list of events where he has helped out: countless homecomings, tons of outreach programs, loads of committee meetings. He served a term as the association�s president in 2001-02.
�I absolutely loved my involvement with the Golden Reunion the year I served as president,� Doyle said. �I talked to so many 50-year graduates during the socials and at the dinner dance the evening before graduation. It was a joy to see people who still showed their love for the university and each other.�
Doyle is a senior vice president for Brenntag North America and chairman of the board for Brenntag Canada. His jobs keep him on the road a lot; trips to Europe and spots all over North America are not uncommon.
But he said he always finds time for the Alumni Association and UL Lafayette.
�I think about getting that phone call from Coach Blanco and all the great things that have happened to me because of that. I can�t help but want to contribute something to the university. The Alumni Association has helped me show my gratitude for the past 30 years.�
