By Erika Estrada, Staff Writer
At Newman University, the roar of the basketball court isn't the only sound filling student athletes’ heads. Amid the squeak of sneakers, they’re also hearing the buzz of clippers in the hand of a man with a unique double life. He’s not only a men's basketball graduate assistant but also a sought-after on-campus barber.
This is the story of a young coach with a passion for both the game and the fade.
Blake Chadwick, a Derby High School graduate who played basketball for the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, started his coaching job at Newman this year.
But his role extends far beyond the sidelines.
"For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a head coach and still do,” said Chadwick, who is pursuing his MBA at Newman. “But barbering has recently become something that has become another passion of mine."
Chadwick’s journey into the world of hair artistry began humbly, he said.
"I started cutting hair two years ago as a sophomore in college when I got tired of paying $60 for a haircut and decided to cut my own to save money," he said "Little did I know that within a few weeks, I’d be cutting my roommate’s hair, which soon led to cutting my teammates’ hair. By my last year of undergrad, I was running a small barbershop out of my garage on campus."
What began as a cost-saving measure quickly blossomed into a thriving side hustle and a valuable way to connect with his team, he said.
"This summer, I started cutting hair more regularly, which naturally transitioned into my time here at Newman," he said. "It became a great way to build relationships with the players on the team, and with the help of my roommate, Kellen Curtis, I was able to expand my clientele to other teams and students around campus."
Chadwick has become a go-to stylist for a significant portion of the basketball team, but his clientele extends to other teams as well: He also has cut the hair of baseball and soccer players and members of the bowling team and has a loyal base of clients he's built throughout his life in Wichita.
His "shop" is a testament to his dedication and resourcefulness.
"I cut a lot of hair in my shop at the dorms," he said. "I have a nice setup in the living room of my dorm room in Fugate with mirrors, a chair and all of my supplies.”
Men’s basketball player Jayden Schoen, a freshman, said he has his hair cut by Chadwick frequently.
“Coming here, I was always worried about finding a barber because I have had the same barber my whole life,” Schoen said. “So going away from home, that was a very stressful process. Having Blake as a barber and a coach, it’s nice being able to talk to him not only about basketball, but just about anything. And that is always the best thing about being in a barbershop, or in this case a dorm room.”
Another satisfied customer is Lawton Simons, a junior who says he has received many haircuts from Chadwick.
“Blake is a great guy and a great barber,” he said. “I have been going to him for a month now and he always gets me right. The best part about going to Blake is the chill vibes and just being able to talk to him about sports and life and having one of the guys there to talk to and get you feeling right with your hair.”
Balancing the demanding schedule of a graduate assistant with a burgeoning barbering business might seem daunting, but for Chadwick, it's a labor of love.
"This is something that I enjoy a lot and has helped me really balance becoming a real full-time assistant coach as well as my personal life," he said. "Some days, I find myself going from 10-5 in the office and practice and then going to cut hair from 6-9:30. A lot of days, I don't even bat an eye or feel tired because I get to wake up and do both things that I love all the time.”
PHOTO: Courtesy, Unsplash
