Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Jan 29, 2015 1:19:22 GMT -6
www.mercurynews.com/ci_27406130/gold-rush-pro-wrestling-opens-apw-boot-camp
Gold Rush Pro Wrestling opens APW Boot Camp in Pacifica
Any local who wants to grab the dream of stepping into the ring with a titanic story and a set of skills that will open the ropes to championship wrestling needs to sign up with All Pro Wrestling (APW) Boot Camp. Founded in 1991 by the "Godfather of Independent Wrestling" Roland Alexander, the original APW Boot Camp in Hayward was managed by Alexander until his death on November 5, 2013.
"That's where I trained as a referee," said Pacifican Mark Claussen. A multi-trophy winning international referee and promoter whose ring name is Sparkey Ballard, Claussen is the senior referee at and runs the day-to-day operations of Gold Rush Pro Wrestling in Pacifica. (In 2009, Claussen served as a Knokx Pro Entertainment official for the "Hulkamania: Let The Battle Begin" tour.) Gold Rush Pro Wrestling brings Saturday night wrestling battles to the gym of Ingrid B. Lacy Middle School. In January of 2014, Claussen acquired the Gold Rush School and is now the principal of the APW Boot Camp.
"When Roland died, they shut the doors on his school," Claussen said. "Some of his graduate wrestlers, Dylan Drake, Matt Carlos and Idris Jackson, decided to continue the APW Boot Camp here in Pacifica and they are teaching. Also teaching is promo coach Donovan Troi. Donovan talks wrestling to everyone who signs up for our training. You have to talk the talk to get the fans engaged." (Claussen also teaches refereeing.)
Located in the multi-purpose room of the old Oddstad School site, Claussen's training facility is a beauty, equipped with a full-size professional ring and a theatrical drawbridge that leads the trainees into the ring.
"We have two different levels of training," Claussen noted. "Beginner's camp is pretty much hell week. Students do squats, a lot of running and a lot of cardio drills. You have to do the beginner's course twice. It's the glue that keeps everything together for the semi-pro camp, where you start learning bigger moves such as power bombs and back body drops. Within our APW program, we have a very structured way of teaching our students to crawl, to walk, to run, to fly and hopefully go beyond. Our promo class, which is part of it, helps students find the self-confidence needed to talk in front of large crowds and set the mood, because wrestling is all about good guy, bad guy."
All students train at least two days a week. When the trainer gauges a student is ready for a match, the show begins. The school trains men and women, and classes offered cover manager, valet, referee and wrestler.
"Anyone who has a dream of becoming a pro wrestler," Claussen said, "who wonders how they can go from having a debut, to winning championship belts, to traveling the U.S. and then the world — this offers that structured program that brings you to that dream."
All Pro Wrestling Gold Rush Boot Camp Training Center, 930 Oddstad Blvd., Pacifica. Beginner classes, Tuesday and Thursday, 6:30 p.m. — 9:30 p.m. Semi-pro classes, Wednesday 6:30 p.m. — 9:30 p.m. and Sunday noon to 3:00 p.m. For information, email GoldRushProWrestling@yahoo.com. Next Gold Rush battle, Band Slam 4, takes place Saturday, January 31, at Ingrid B. Lacy Middle School Gym. Details at: www.facebook.com/GoldRushProWrestling.
Gold Rush Pro Wrestling opens APW Boot Camp in Pacifica
Any local who wants to grab the dream of stepping into the ring with a titanic story and a set of skills that will open the ropes to championship wrestling needs to sign up with All Pro Wrestling (APW) Boot Camp. Founded in 1991 by the "Godfather of Independent Wrestling" Roland Alexander, the original APW Boot Camp in Hayward was managed by Alexander until his death on November 5, 2013.
"That's where I trained as a referee," said Pacifican Mark Claussen. A multi-trophy winning international referee and promoter whose ring name is Sparkey Ballard, Claussen is the senior referee at and runs the day-to-day operations of Gold Rush Pro Wrestling in Pacifica. (In 2009, Claussen served as a Knokx Pro Entertainment official for the "Hulkamania: Let The Battle Begin" tour.) Gold Rush Pro Wrestling brings Saturday night wrestling battles to the gym of Ingrid B. Lacy Middle School. In January of 2014, Claussen acquired the Gold Rush School and is now the principal of the APW Boot Camp.
"When Roland died, they shut the doors on his school," Claussen said. "Some of his graduate wrestlers, Dylan Drake, Matt Carlos and Idris Jackson, decided to continue the APW Boot Camp here in Pacifica and they are teaching. Also teaching is promo coach Donovan Troi. Donovan talks wrestling to everyone who signs up for our training. You have to talk the talk to get the fans engaged." (Claussen also teaches refereeing.)
Located in the multi-purpose room of the old Oddstad School site, Claussen's training facility is a beauty, equipped with a full-size professional ring and a theatrical drawbridge that leads the trainees into the ring.
"We have two different levels of training," Claussen noted. "Beginner's camp is pretty much hell week. Students do squats, a lot of running and a lot of cardio drills. You have to do the beginner's course twice. It's the glue that keeps everything together for the semi-pro camp, where you start learning bigger moves such as power bombs and back body drops. Within our APW program, we have a very structured way of teaching our students to crawl, to walk, to run, to fly and hopefully go beyond. Our promo class, which is part of it, helps students find the self-confidence needed to talk in front of large crowds and set the mood, because wrestling is all about good guy, bad guy."
All students train at least two days a week. When the trainer gauges a student is ready for a match, the show begins. The school trains men and women, and classes offered cover manager, valet, referee and wrestler.
"Anyone who has a dream of becoming a pro wrestler," Claussen said, "who wonders how they can go from having a debut, to winning championship belts, to traveling the U.S. and then the world — this offers that structured program that brings you to that dream."
All Pro Wrestling Gold Rush Boot Camp Training Center, 930 Oddstad Blvd., Pacifica. Beginner classes, Tuesday and Thursday, 6:30 p.m. — 9:30 p.m. Semi-pro classes, Wednesday 6:30 p.m. — 9:30 p.m. and Sunday noon to 3:00 p.m. For information, email GoldRushProWrestling@yahoo.com. Next Gold Rush battle, Band Slam 4, takes place Saturday, January 31, at Ingrid B. Lacy Middle School Gym. Details at: www.facebook.com/GoldRushProWrestling.