Growing Hair for Charity
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Scott Westerberg | 10/19/2012 .jpg)
Mikey Ingemansen and Jake Nicholson have gone most of their college careers without spending a dime on a haircut, but saving money has nothing to do with their quest to avoid the clippers.
"Ever since third grade I had this teacher Mrs. H at Solheim, her son used to donate his hair to Locks of Love. I always thought it was a good idea," Ingemansen said.
"One day we decided to grow it out and donate it for a good cause and figured it`s nothing too tough, so we`d just go with it," Nicholson said.
After about two and half years, the pair has grown plenty to donate with Ingemansen holding a slight advantage.
"I have the lead by three or four months. He had to cut it for his sister`s wedding, and I told him he would regret it, and he definitely regrets now cause I have longer hair," he said.
Since hair is considered part of the uniform in football, the two get no protection from the officials when it gets pulled, but so far, it hasn`t been much of an issue.
"I thought it would get pulled and get in the way, but it`s not too bad. It gets hot, especially during fall camp it was kind of brutal, but during the game you don`t really notice and for this weather right now it`s kind of nice, keeps you a little warmer," Nicholson said.
"It kind of hangs on the shoulder pads, so sometimes o-lineman, not intentionally, they`ll accidentally grab it and pull it," Ingemansen said.
Off the field, the reaction from family and friends has generally been positive.
"My mom likes it a lot and everybody else I talk to like it too, so they want me to keep it around, but I don`t know how much longer it will last," Nicholson said.
"The old Bismarck High coaches, of course Coach Gibson hated it, Coach Colby loved it. Other than that, old ladies love how it looks and they ask if they can touch it and stuff like that," Ingemansen said.
But the hair won`t be around forever. They plan to chop it off at the end of the season. The problem is what to do when it`s gone.
"It`s long enough if I donate it it`s still going to have some length to it, so I don`t know if I`m going to keep it yet or cut it short, cause I usually have a buzzcut, so haven`t decided yet," Ingemansen said.
Even though the thought of losing their curly locks is a little sad for Nicholson and Ingemansen, the two can take solace in the fact that they helped others who can`t grow hair like that on their own.
The pair`s long hair will be on display tomorrow evening right here on the NBC North Dakota Sports. We`ll be on the air at 7:00 central as the Marauders host MSU-Moorhead.
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