10 Questions with Beth (interview)

A Beth interview I found

Phoenix is one of the premier women wrestlers on the indy scene today. She has been invited to compete in the WXW 2003 Ladies Super 8 Tournament and has wrestled throughout the US and Canada. Phoenix was kind enough to answer 10 Questions for the Wrestling Clothesline.

1. What made you decide to get into professional wrestling?
This is probably the one question I am asked most frequently and, unfortunately the one question that I find hardest to answer. I guess I’ll just put it this way. You don’t choose wrestling, wrestling chooses you. You just get that calling and nothing else will do. You sacrifice your friends, family, health and money in hopes that one day it will all pay off. It may not sound like a square deal especially when you consider the chances of failure, but it’s worth the risk to me.

2. Where did you train? How did you find them to be your trainer? Do you think the trainier was harder on you, being a female, than he was on the other trainees?
I was trained by the All Knighters, Joey Knight and Robin Knightwing in a drafty attic above a YMCA in Medina, NY in the middle of winter. I found them because I sought out a school that was local to me (within a couple of hours) and looked for trainers familiar with the style of wrestling I wanted to learn, namely a style similar to the Harts. Luckily, Joey and Robin were trained in Calgary by Stu Hart and Bruce Hart, themselves. They treated me the same as the boys. They took extra time with all of their trainees to make sure they understood exactly what we were doing out there. My education in the All Knighters’ Attic was an invaluable experience.

3. What is the hardest thing about being a female in a primarily male dominated sport?
The hardest thing is trying be taken seriously. I might be able to do all the power moves, aerial moves, mic spots and mat wrestling in the world, but when push come to shove, I AM A FEMALE. A lot of men are just dead set against women being a part of their sport. That is fine. I respect their opinions. However, I AM a part of their world, whether they like it or not. I always will be. I work my @$$ off and I feel that I have earned everything that I have gotten since I began in this business. If some guys don’t like it, they can look the other way. And if they’re not careful, I just might steal the spotlight while they’re busy writing a book on why girls don’t belong in the business.

4. What has been your most memorable moment in the business thus far?
I didn’t really start living my life the way I’ve wanted to until I started wrestling. It has empowered me and taught me so much about life and the type of person I want to be - even away from the ring. It’s hard to pick one moment because each experience motivates me to keep living these dream. Just recently, however, I won my first male title, the FNW Cruiserweight belt. The win for me was particularly profound because I felt that it was a moment when I finally became one of the boys. That respect that takes years to earn was finally in front of me and boy did it feel great.

5. What do you think of the current state of independent wrestling, women’s wrestling in particular?
Women’s wrestling has come forward in many ways but still has a long way to go before it reaches the level that I would like it to. It is unfortunate the women are used very poorly on many independent wrestling shows. By poorly I mean they are not given opportunities. It seems that, particularly when it come to women, one bad apple spoils the whole damn bunch. If a promoter gets soured by one female, they’re less likely to give females opportunities in the future. Unfortunately, I think that until the ladies reach a level where they are considered just as integral as the men in wrestling, they will continue to face these set-backs. How can we gain that respect? Keep growing, progressing and showing heart. Those females that have brought the women’s division leaps and bounds have done just that. We just need to see more of them.

6. Who have been some of your favorite people to step into the ring with?

Some of my best singles matches have been with Tracy Brooks, Gail Kim, Alere Little Feather and Alexis Laree. They are all very competent wrestlers with their own unique, beautiful look. I think that the woman I would most like to face Cindy Rogers in the future. Cindy has the intensity and technical skills to mix it up with the best of them. We’re close allies in WXW, but I am looking forward to some healthy competition between us when those other rotten, cheating girls, Belladawna, Lilly and Psycho finally give us a break.

7. What are the best and worst things about being in this business?
The absolute best thing is the crowd. Knowing that you might’ve brought some enjoyment to someone’s life, knowing that they had a good time, THAT feeling is unbeatable. The worst thing is the disappointments. You have to be prepared, no matter how good you are, for the disappointments in wrestling. Everyone has them, and there isn’t just one. Sometimes you wonder why you even bother, but then you catch a little reminder of why you started in the first place and you keep going. Everyone has a reason to keep going through the disappointments.

8. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I spend a lot of my spare time working on my body. It’s a must in this business. The other thing I truly enjoy is seeing movies and live entertainment. I’ve seen hundreds of shows of all genres in my life. I appreciate nothing more than a truly talented entertainer. That “it factor” it there, be it wrestling, music, acting or whatever.

9. As a female, do you feel you are ever treated differently (good or bad) by the promoters or other wrestlers?
Definitely. Females are treated different because we are different. We are a separate attraction from the men, like midgets. Because we are a different part of the show, we may be handled differently than the men. Things can quickly go negative, however, when the gentleman stops thinking with his head and, well, know you. In that case, they are not acting professionally, in which case, I believe, I have the authority to get myself out of that situation. Respect is a number one priority to me. As long as you respect me, I will never disrespect you.

10. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In 5 years, I am confident that I will be close, if not reached, my wrestling career goals. I have worked a long time, and although I am young, 22 years old, your days in wrestling are numbered from the second you step in the ring. In 5 years I’ll be 27 and at my peak physically. I am working very hard to make these next five years count to become the best that I can be and have a hell of a good time trying.

beth is right once one female messes up none of the others ever get a chance after it