I think that we all, especially as kids, fantasized about what it would be like to compete in the ring. Shortly after I started following wrestling in earnest, I decided that it would be my career path. Throughout high school and college I kept my sights set on my goal, knowing that after graduation I would head to the Hart Dungeon and dominate the wrestling world. When I found out that the Dungeon no longer existed, that was okay - Lance Storm had opened up a wrestling school in the same city. At age 23, I flew to Calgary, and all my hopes that I'd be able to think my way past my natural lack of athleticism were dashed. I couldn't run fast or jump high, and I was too self-conscious to properly emote while performing. I was a good promo (and I still sometimes think about getting back in the ring as a manager), but apart from a crisp backbreaker, there wasn't much I could do. Maybe doing some amateur wrestling in school would have helped. Still, this one goes in the win column, because I'm glad I gave it a shot.
Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried.
*Best Crowd of the Year, 2013
