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BADGERS GIVE BACK ATHLETE SPOT C ommunity service is a priority for many Badgers, but perhaps none more so than wrestler Brad Nardick. The senior from Northbrook, Ill., leads all UW student-athletes in hours volunteered, having completed more than 15 hours of community service since September. In addition to volunteering on his own, Nardick has helped to organize several volunteer activities for his team, including a trip to the American Family Children's Hospital and the William S. Middleton Memorial Veteran's Hospital in Madison. Volunteering is an important component to the overall experience wrestlers have at Wisconsin and is an act of giving that head coach Barry Davis encourages. "It is important for our guys to go out and perform community service work," Davis said. "It makes them understand the importance of giving to others; it represents our department, our team and our university. "I think everyone should do community service because it makes them appreciate what they have here at Wisconsin as a student-athlete," continued Davis. "It is good to see Brad doing that. It builds character and a better world." Here, in his own words, Nardick shares of his experiences volunteering in the Madison community, why he feels it's important and the lessons he's learned while giving back: When I was asked to write this column, I was a little hesitant at first for a few reasons; the first being that I am not a professional writer (you will come to realize that shortly) so I was and am still a little worried that any professors see who read this may decide I need to spend a couple more years in school (my parents seem 22 ยป VARSITY JANUA RY 10, 2013 to think five is enough). More importantly, I don't want to take credit for anything that other people deserve just as much credit for. There are a handful of people that I am surrounded by at Wisconsin that have really shown me the importance of using the position that we are in as student-athletes and making the most of it. There are some great guys on our team that make it a priority to give back and try to have an impact. We have had a lot of momentum this year when it comes to getting involved in the community, mainly because of the great leadership in our program. Connor Medbery is someone that all of our teammates look to and respect. He works his tail off, and I have no doubt he will be a national champion one day, but he's also someone who is selfless when it comes to helping people who need it. Jackson Hein and Scott Liegel are the same way. They are tough as nails, but they also have a great perspective on using their time at Wisconsin to have a positive impact on others. Ben Cox, Dylan Ickowski, Tom Kelliher and Timmy McCall are all guys that have made a huge effort to volunteer this year and have played a big role in making community service not only a priority, but also a great team bonding experience. I take a lot of pride in being able to say I'm on a team with such great people. It would be wrong for me to take credit for my volunteer work without acknowledging their influence and enthusiasm. Heading into my last year as a student-athlete at Wisconsin, I knew that I wanted to make the most of the opportunity since this would be the last time that I had a chance to represent the Badgers on or off the mat. One thing that has become clearer to me over the