Blackfoot Valley Dispatch - The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980

Throughout my entire life, the sport of wrestling has brought amazing people into my lane.

We just lost one of the greats.

In 2014 I had the privilege of becoming friends with Bob Zadick, and his wife. Bob, in his mid 70's at the time, came to me one day with the intentions of starting a wrestling club here in Lincoln. That following winter, we did just that. Bob kickstarted the Lincoln Loggers wrestling club.

Through the years of working with and learning from Bob, I became a better man.

Bob Zadicks number one priority was family, his passion was wrestling. The smell of resilite, a packed gymnasium and a kid nobody had ever heard of, ready to whip the world, was Bob's wheelhouse.

His intensity and passion was contagious. Bob had a competitive side that was fierce. Failure at anything was never even a thought.

Though Bob was perceived as a wrestling guru, he was always a student of the sport. His resume and the accomplishments of his family speak volumes.

Bob made a point to always speak in a positive manner, to always make the athletes learn, and hunger for more. He made a constant effort to reassure every kid that they can be a WORLD CHAMPION. He rarely focused our goals at a local, or state level. World titles!! His ability to bring out confidence and peak output from his athletes was world class.

Bob Zadick was a once in a lifetime man, whom I feel honored to have spent time with.

Some of my favorites sayings from Bob:

"The toughest wrestlers come from tough mothers"

"Never let the referee cheat your wrestler out of points"

"I don't care if you're chewing bubble gum, be the best in the world at it"

God gained a Hammer when he recently called Bob Zadick home.

"Luke! We didn't lose that one, we only ran out of time"

-Bob Zadick