Sept. 20, 2010
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Former Hawkeye NCAA Champion Bill Zadick has been named as the National Freestyle Developmental Coach and Assistant National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling.
Zadick has served on the national staff in the position of Resident Coordinator and Assistant National Freestyle Coach since January 2009.
As the National Freestyle Developmental Coach, Zadick will oversee the programs intended to improve the quality and quantity of men’s freestyle athletes prior to the Senior level. He will also work to expand and improve the quality of volunteer freestyle coaches. In addition, Zadick will be responsible for the performance and development of elite teams at all levels in cooperation with National Team and Resident Coaches.
“I was blessed to have come from some amazing programs growing up in wrestling. It has given me a unique perspective on development,” said Zadick. “I had some great coaches who had a huge impact and influence on my career from the earliest ages which carried through my entire career. I have a unique experience and passion for this new opportunity and a vision for where it can go.”
Zadick reached the top of the freestyle wrestling world in 2006, when he won a World gold medal at 66 kg/145.5 pounds in Guangzhou, China. His younger brother, Mike Zadick, won a silver medal at 60 kg/132 pounds at the 2006 World Championships, making them the first U.S. brothers to reach the World finals on the same year since Tom Brands and Terry Brands in 1993.
Zadick also competed in the 2001 World Championships, placing seventh. He was a runner-up at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 2000 and 2008. He was a three-time U.S. Nationals runner-up (2003, 2006, 2008) and a two-time World Team Trials runner-up (1999, 2002). Zadick won a bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Championships, and won the Sunkist Kids International Open in 1997 and 1998.
He won a NCAA Div. I title for the Univ. of Iowa in 1996 and was a two-time All-American, competing for the legendary Dan Gable. Originally from Great Falls, Montana, Zadick won four high school state titles for Great Falls High School (1988-91). He was active in USA Wrestling’s age-group programs as a youth and through college.
Zadick was a U.S. Olympic Training Center Resident athlete from 2004-2008, where his freestyle career flourished on the mat.
In his previous role within USA Wrestling, Zadick was a liaison between the U.S. Olympic Training Center and the resident athletes in all three styles. He was also part of the national freestyle coaching staff at all levels over the past two seasons.
“Bill Zadick is a huge asset to this organization, who will lead a very important part of the USA Wrestling program,” said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. “We are confident that he will excel in his new role with our freestyle team effort.”
“We had several quality candidates for this position. Bill’s national reputation and his passion for this position gave us great confidence that he will do an outstanding job for our sport,” said USA Wrestling National Teams Director Mitch Hull.
“Bill comes with a wealth of knowledge at the highest level. He has come through the national developmental program as an athlete and has worked with many of the coaches. Bill has a big challenge ahead of him. Our success in Rio de Janiero in 2016 and beyond is in his hands,” said National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones.
Zadick looks forward to his new assignment within USA Wrestling.
“Now more than ever, development is critical to our long term success as a nation,” said Zadick. “I look forward to working in this position with all of my energy and using every resource available. I seek to help create success for our grassroots coaches. Our coaches are one of the most important pieces of this puzzle. I also aim to improve the skills, technique and tactics of our athletes, as they progress through college and become Senior athletes on the international level. I feel tremendous responsibility with this position and am excited about the challenge and the opportunity.”