AUGUSTA — Mike Zadick is a Montana wrestling legend. He was a four-time state champion at Great Falls High, a three-time All-American at Iowa, a world silver medalist and a 2008 US Olympian.
But his defining physical characteristic over the last few decades is a big, unkempt, jet black beard.
“I haven’t shaved since my cousin Jim Zadick’s wedding,” he told MTN Sports. “That was in September of 2012.”
He couldn’t have a beard while he was competing and he kept it trimmed while coaching, but once he moved back to Montana he let his scruff run wild.
“I’ve always liked when I had beards so I’m just going to let her go,” he said. “If it would go down to my waist I would let it, but it just won’t. This is as long as it gets.”
But Zadick is considering going clean shaven once again, for a good cause.
He’s participating in No Shave November to raise money for Benchmark Wrestling, the facility and wellness center he’s building in Augusta. And if the fundraiser reaches $50,000 by the end of the month it’s time to bring out the clippers.
“People’s reactions have been pretty funny. I tell them the story about what we're doing and they just start laughing and asking, ‘Are you kidding me?’” Zadick said. "Well, there's no guarantee. We have to hit $50,000. And I think you can do that with a lot of people, a lot of donations coming from far and wide.”
And Zadick is not alone in his efforts. Nearly 30 other men have joined his cause and are putting their beards on the line. That list includes Mike’s brother and Team USA wrestling head coach Bill Zadick, former college teammates, Great Falls firefighters and Augusta community members.
The longest beard of the bunch belongs to fourth-generation Augusta rancher Jason Mosher, who hasn’t shaved since 2017.
"My intention was to shave it every summer and then I trimmed it off that first year and then I was like, I'm going to sunburn,” Mosher laughed. "So I never did completely get rid of it.”
Mosher has daughters who are 2 and 4 years old and have never seen their father without a beard.
“I’m afraid they’re going to disown me,” he joked.
But Mosher and the rest of the participants were happy to jump on board for a good cause that will benefit Augusta and the Montana wrestling community as a whole.
"I mean, Mike’s whole vision of a training facility and community center will just be a great asset,” Mosher said. “And then him being a world-class athlete and willing to help people train, that would be a great deal.”
Zadick launched the Benchmark Wrestling fund-raising effort in 2023 and broke ground at the facility this summer. His overall goal is to raise $2.7 million, and so far he’s raised about $250,000, not counting the numerous in-kind donations from family, friends, acquaintances and businesses.
The No Shave November event is a small push toward a much larger effort.
"I get excited about the whole project because it all comes back to my dad (Bob Zadick). The motivation of this whole thing was this community and the impact I know my dad had on us. And I feel I can have that same impact on people around me,” Mike said. "I really hope it comes through. I hope people get behind this, any amount makes a huge difference to us. It adds up.”
And what's the plan if they hit the $50k goal?
“If it happens, then a week later after November we're going to have a beard trimming party at the Buckhorn Bar in Augusta,” Zadick said. "So, we're going all the way down to the skin. What am I going to look like? I don’t know. I think I’m going to be really ugly. But if we get there, we’ll find out.”
To donate to the Benchmark Wrestling No Shave November fundraiser, click here.
