Hairy contributor

On a hulking man adorned with tattoos and pierced ears, shoulder-length hair definitely fits one image of Brian Barthelmes (Sociology ’05).

There is another image Barthelmes has cultivated for the past 18 months, the length of time since his last haircut.

Barthelmes, a 21-year-old Virginia football player, might have gotten his hair cut several times had he not made a commitment to a nonprofit organization, Locks of Love.

At the time that Barthelmes’ hair reaches 10 inches in length, it will be shaved and used to make a wig for children suffering from long-term hair loss.

“When I wash it, it actually looks nice,” said Barthelmes, a 6-foot-7, 286-pound offensive lineman. “Throw a little conditioner in there, and it has a nice shine to it.

“It’s not so much that I’m tired of it. I’d keep it. I like it, fashionably, but it’s selfish for me to keep it when I can donate it to a kid who can’t afford to buy a wig.”

Barthelmes’ hair had reached the 5-inch mark before he first saw an advertisement for Locks of Love.

“What an easy thing to do!” Barthelmes said. “You just walk around and it grows. Besides, once I get it cut, I can always grow it back.”

Barthelmes was going to get his hair cut before the U.Va. spring game, but it was measured at only 9 1/2 inches. The minimum donation is 10 inches.

“A lot of people, when I tell them, they’ll say, ‘What a good idea!’” Barthelmes said. “People buy into it. If it’s not a trend that’s already going, hopefully it will catch on.”

Barthelmes said he has been unsuccessful in persuading any of his teammates to join the movement because “there’s a little bit of maintenance involved,” and while head coach Al Groh considers it a noble cause, he does not share Barthelmes’ luxurious hair texture.

“It should be quite obvious that I donated mine a long time ago,” said Groh, 59.

Groh is aware of Barthelmes’ eagerness to sacrifice from the football field, where Barthelmes has started 15 games at left guard over the past two seasons and also has gotten time at right guard and right tackle.

Barthelmes played tackle this spring. He didn’t always run with the first team, but Groh likes his versatility and hesitates when asked if he’d like to see Barthelmes do anything differently.

“Just keep on being Bart,” Groh said of the advice he would give Barthelmes. “That’s a pretty good thing. He’s been everything we’ve asked him to be since he’s been here.

“He’s very responsible academically. He’s done well there. He’s one of the most energetic and diligent weight-room workers. All he wants to do is win. He doesn’t care if he plays guard or tackle [or] how you bounce him around. He’s tough. He’s dedicated. There’s everything to like about him.”

Especially his hair.