When the new release came out last week that Bill Zadick had been named as the new National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling, I was thrilled. I have known Bill since he arrived at the University of Iowa in 1991 out of Great Falls, Montana and I have followed his career every step of the way since. I am sure that all Iowa Wrestling fans were excited and proud that one of their own had been promoted to the most influential coaching position for freestyle wrestling in our country.
I knew that Bill would be busy with the World Cup coming up this weekend. Sure enough, he was in Los Angeles today and took the time for this interview. I have done a few interviews, but the humble responses that Bill gave will not be forgotten by me anytime soon. It’s hard to believe that it was that long ago, but Bill Zadick won a National title for the Hawks back in 1996 as a senior. The last twenty years has been a journey leading up to this point.
After college, Bill went into International wrestling. Zadick placed second in the 2000 and 2008 Olympic Trials and he also placed second at the World Team Trials in 1999 and 2002. In 2001, Zadick placed seventh at the World Championships representing Team USA. From 2004-2006, Zadick became a resident athlete at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. When I was giving myself a tour of the Olympic Training Center, I did run into Bill back in 2005. I remember having so much respect for him pursuing his dream of wrestling when it looked as though his best years were behind him. As fate would have it, the following year Bill made his first World team in five years. In Guangzhou, China Bill Zadick won it all to become a prestigious World Champion. His years of hard work paid off.
After his retirement in 2008, Bill then started his new career in coaching when he was named as the Resident Coordinator and Assistant National Coach for USA Wrestling. Bill began a new career and learned USA Wrestling from the ground up. Eight years later, his persistence and hard work was once again rewarded when he was named as the National Freestyle Coach. Bill Zadick keeps working until he became a National Champ at Iowa in his senior year, then on to winning a World title at the age of thirty-three, to an eight year education as an assistant and then being named as our National Freestyle Coach. A definite trend. Great story.
First of all Bill, congratulations for being named as our National Freestyle Coach. That was great news for us Iowa Wrestling Fans to hear. Do you remember the first time you thought about being a coach?
Bill Zadick: Since I was a kid growing up, I loved wrestling. The plan was to compete as long as I could and to then get into coaching. I have always had the idea of being a coach all of my life. When I first considered being the National Freestyle Coach was when I was a resident athlete. One of my coaches at the time, a mentor of mine, was Dave Bennett. About three years before I stopped competing, he mentioned to me that he was planning on retiring and he thought I would be a good fit for his position, and that was the Developmental Coach and he asked me to consider it. He said he would recommend me if I was interested in around 2005, 2006. In 2009, Zeke Jones hired me on at USA Wrestling for that position.
Bill, what do you think you bring to the table for USA Wrestling as our new National Freestyle Coach?
Bill Zadick: I am going to bring a ton of passion in and experience in Freestyle Wrestling. I am a freestyle guy and I started wrestling when I was five years old and I love wrestling and I have my entire life. I have focused on wrestling and it has truly been my passion. I also have an understanding of what the American wrestling system is and how it works. Having worked my way through the ranks of the USA Wrestling coaching staff, there is a perspective on what the system is like to maximize our opportunities. The love of the sport, the challenge of learning and getting better every day. Successful coaching is a lot to do with personalities and relationships and how you deal with circumstances that individuals have.
You officially take over as head coach after the Olympics. What will be your role between now and the Olympics?
Bill Zadick: I will continue performing the duties of my current position as the National Freestyle Developmental Coach and assisting our National coach Bruce Burnett. He’s a great coach and leader with a wealth of knowledge so it’s been a pleasure of my life to work alongside of him for the last few years and I will looking forward to doing that for the next seventy-six days. That is my role and I will be executing my current position to best of my abilities until we get back from Rio.
Wrestling always seem to peak for interest in an Olympic year. So many of us are excited about the upcoming Olympics. What can you tell us about our Freestyle team heading into the Olympics in Rio.
Bill Zadick: We have an obviously talented and exciting team. We just landed in Los Angeles yesterday and we are in the final peaking period getting ready for the World Cup this weekend. That will be a huge event and a springboard for Rio. We are working with each individual’s skill set and the tools they need to win in Rio and we would like to see progress this weekend when we compete against the top eight teams in the world. We go to the German Grand Prix later in the summer. Right now we are focused on winning this World Cup title and knocking off Iran who has won the last several.
Who were your biggest influences on you for your coaching career?
Bill Zadick: I do not know how long you have because I could go on for a long time. Obviously my father is a huge influence. My character values, my moral values, my philosophical outlook, technique, everything, comes from my parents (Bob and Toni Zadick), who have been a rock for me. My siblings, my brother (Mike) who brings a passion and intensity to the sport. My sisters are amazing. My older sister Terri and my younger sister Mary-Ann. Their life perspectives have impacted me greatly. These characteristics impact my coaching, a great deal. There has been a whole string of coaches that have impacted my life.
Dave Schultz once was quoted as saying:
“If I gave credit to every person who has helped me along the way, I would have to break up my Gold Medal into 2,000 tiny pieces.”
That certainly is true for me as a competitor and it’s true in this sense on the professional side of wrestling for coaching. The Youngs, close family friends that had three sons the same age as Mike and I. We trained, we traveled, and competed together. I spoke to them the other day. There are those memories that nobody knows about where Jana Young, when I was a freshman in high school, was helping me pedal a bike because I was so tired. He was there helping me get my weight down. Mark Spragg, who was never a competitor himself, but maybe one of the best developmental coaches that I have ever known. He was light years ahead of his time. He basically pioneered the idea of the wrestling academy with USA Oregon and the Cobra logo. Troy Vaughn. Everybody that I mentioned is family to me. Bennie Campbell, who had four sons that maybe were the toughest wrestling family to ever come out of Montana. I think between his four sons they won eleven or twelve State titles. And of course a whole host of others. I had a great high school coach in Jim Ramsey in Great Falls, Montana.
The things that these guys have taught me have had an impact and things that I think about on a daily basis. They gave me the tools and skills that now I try and pass on. It would take me weeks to think about and thank all of the people that have helped me in my life.
And that is not even going into my college years. Of course there is Coach Gable and all the assistants that were part of the staff. Working under Zeke Jones. I have dealt with Bruce (Burnett) on two levels. One as a wrestler when he was my coach and now as his assistant coach. Coach Gable, one of the greatest of all time if not the greatest of all time. Invaluable learning experiences.
Anything you would like to say to all of the Iowa Wrestling fans?
Bill Zadick: Just keep supporting the sport. Some of the greatest fans on Earth. We have a lot of work to do for Team USA, red, white and blue. Being apart of that as an Iowa Wrestling contingent. Just keep doing what they are doing.
Bill, it was a great to hear about you getting the job. That is the ultimate for our sport and to have one of our own as a Hawkeye accomplish that is great. Thank you for your time and the best of luck to you.
Bill Zadick: The time in Iowa was a huge influence in my life. I think about those times very positively and I have a lot of pride that that’s where I came from. I am looking forward to carrying that tradition on. Thank you.
