A local professional wrestling promotion is holding tryouts next weekend for a chance at free training, and many passionate people are expected to come out.Â
But, the life of a professional wrestler is not easy by any means, especially on the independent circuit. The injuries are real, and you may not make all that much money doing it. However, it is all about following that dream and being in the spotlight. So, locals are making it happen at the Reno Wrestle Factory (RWF).
"I'm passionate about this business," said Steven Pienkoski, owner of the RWF who also wrestles as "The Wrecking Ball" Paul Isadora. That's why we've got this wrestling school to kind of pass our passion on to people who maybe want to get their foot in the door."
No surprise, many who get into the business are life-long wrestling fans, like Cody Lee Wilson.
"One of my earliest childhood memories is Hulk Hogan dropping the leg on Andre the Giant (at Wrestlemania III)," he said.
Zachary Zolowicz is a University of Nevada student who actually founded the first Professional Wrestling Club on campus.
He and the other RWF students are happy they found a place locally to learn how to become a performer, like the ones they see on TV every week.
"We found this place down here," Zolowicz said. "We called up Steve, and it's just a dream come true. I've always been a big fan of it."
"I went and deployed for the U.S. Army for a couple years and moved to Reno, just for the opportunity to find a wrestling school," Wilson said.
Many of them have some sort of athletic background, like Wilson's 12 years of grappling experience. Pienkoski was even a former Nevada Wolf Pack basketball player.
"You always hear about the larger than life characters and these big, muscle-bound guys," he said. "I just happen to be 7-feet tall and 325 lbs."
But, it's not just about size and athleticism. The most successful performers also know how to talk and have charisma.
"Above all, you just have to be marketable," Pienkoski said. "People have to want to pay to see you."
One of the first things you learn in wrestling school is learning how to fall, or "bumping," as it is called. Zolowicz says he got the wind knocked out of him when he took his first bump. We asked him what was going through his mind at that point.
"What the hell did I get into? (laughs) No, but, as soon as I saw the ring, and soon as I took that first bump, I was hooked. I realized this is something I wanted to do."
It is no secret professional wrestling is scripted, as far as storylines are concerned, but injuries are bound to happen in such a physical setting.
"You're doing things that your body is telling you, 'don't do,'" Zolowicz said.
"You wake up sore every day," Pienkoski said. "It's not pretend. I think, people sometimes mistake that we're not really tough people."
In the independent promotions, wrestlers may not make much money to live off of. Some have even worked for free, just to get experience and their name out there. That exposure could also help them negotiate for more money in the future.
"Somebody works with you, and then they suggest you to someone else," Pienkoski said. "Then, you kind of move up the ladder. Then, all of a sudden, you're making hundreds of dollars every weekend, and then it becomes more of a career than just a hobby."
He also says some wrestlers even travel outside Reno to perform.
"We travel all over the west coast, Texas, Missouri. We go all over the place."
Pienkoski wants to turn Reno Wrestle Factory into a local attraction, and hopes to have shows on a monthly basis soon.
"Hopefully, get to a point where it's on a weekly basis. So, people say, 'This is what I do on Friday nights. I come to watch pro wrestling here in Reno."
"We have the Reno Wine Walk on a particular day of the month," Wilson said. "I'd like to make this promotion be a cornerstone (of Reno)."
Many of the wrestlers have dreams to make it to the big leagues, like World Wrestling Entertainment. However, some of the RWF students are also interested in other aspects of the industry.
"I'm really loving the promotion side, the business side of it," Zolowicz said. "So, even if wrestling does not work out for me, I definitely see myself involved in the sport someway, somehow."
Meanwhile, the school is getting ready to host a tryout for locals who want to make their dreams happen.Â
It's called, "RWF: Answer the Call." For a $25 entry fee, people have a chance to win a free year of training, which Pienkoski says is a $1,200 value.
The winner will be announced at 7 p.m. that night at a show showcasing the students.
If you are interested, it is all going to be taking place at the Reno Wrestle Factory on Saturday, January 17th, beginning at 10 a.m. But Pienkoski urges people to get there early for signups. The school is located at 5301 Longley Lane (suites 87 & 88) in Reno.
For more information on the tryout and the show:
