April Hunter comments on her future
photo credit: Bob Mulrenin
April Hunter posted the following on her Facebook page:
I have come to the conclusion that I’m still in wrestling because I’m trying to help others, I enjoy entertaining and will take the paycheck. I have no aspirations of going to WWE. With starting Full Sail University, I’m getting comments about NXT…no. I am going for my degree in writing. Wrestling was never my dream. I have been LUCKY to have had a shot to do something interesting in life and see the world on someone else’s dime while meeting crazy/cool people. I fell into this and happened to get trained by the best, so I was in the right place, right time, with the right look. (Thank you Killer Kowalski, Vince Russo and Terry Taylor.) While I had a lot of really quality training and help, I never had a serious mentor steering me in the right directions or helping me maneuver the never-ending curves the business can throw. That’s what I’m doing now for the girls. SHINE Wrestling brought me in to have me help younger girls in wrestling. They put me with a stable of talented newer wrestlers to work with; help get them more recognition, crowd reactions, explain why things don’t necessarily work (or do) in a certain way, ring psychology, how to be a heel or face. While I’m not brilliant, I’ve been around and picked some things up, so hopefully that’s contributed. Most of them have listened and benefited. Then there are the personal aspects of things: dating in or out of the business, what to do when WWE asks you to suddenly change your look or move across the country without a contract, parents/partners who just don’t get it, locker room squabbles.
When I started, I was told all veterans deserve respect. Past a certain point, I don’t necessarily agree with this. I was raised in a military family and my father always said “Respect is not given-it’s EARNED.” To this day, I haven’t let this business override my Dad’s words. Too many people think “vet” in wrestling is someone who has wrestled 12 years…but in the same area/fed every other month. I’m sorry, but that does not a veteran make it’s and God awful that some abuse that word when they truly haven’t earned it. Vets work everywhere, all the time, all over and in other countries. They have been to higher feds in some form and trained along the way with other trainers. Mexico, Japan, etc. They have logged in many miles and little sleep. They don’t TALK about loving the business and sacrifice. They actually DO and HAVE.
For these people, younger talents need to learn to give up their seats (because we’re beat the f— up and need to sit down). I am always amazed how many younger wrestlers don’t know to offer their seats. After a couple torn knees and no tailbone disc, you’ll understand why we need it one day. Also, introduce yourself to EVERYONE. I mean, everyone. That guy putting up the ring could be a wrestler who has been around 5 years. In Japan, even the vets put up and tear down the rings. If you aren’t sure if you’ve met someone before, say “Nice to SEE you” instead of “nice to meet you.” Listen to our advice. We are trying to help you. At the end of the day, we are all here to entertain the crowd well, not get hurt, not hurt anyone else and get a paycheck. That’s all. In my time on the circuit, I’ve personally seen quite a few (actually, a fair bit) of my girls head off to WWE and it really feels nice. While I myself certainly can’t do the crazy stuff in the ring I used to do (probably because I used to do crazy stuff in the ring before), I can still do THIS for those who are sweet and seem to deserve help. Ps. Ladies…keep your clothes ON for anything on the ‘net, etc. Or, at least keep all your bits covered. With WWE being a public company now, you can’t get away with that Mickey James and I got away with back in the day. Don’t let anyone talk you into removing them on film, either. I know a photographer out of OVW who duped wrestling girls into going topless by telling them “WWE needs to see what they’re getting.” Bullsh*t. He used those photos later against the girls when they got somewhere. Film lasts forever, my friends. If something seems dodgy, it probably IS. Xo.
