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The Catch Sports Pro-Wrestling Acadamy, otherwise known as the Catch Sports Acadamy or Catch Academy or simply CATCH, is a gym and wrestling school located in both Los Angeles, California, United States and Hull, Yorkshire, England. The academy is owned and operated by founder Larry Blackwell who opened the school in 1995 and established the first location in his home of Hull. He would extend ownership to both his fellow trainee under Billy Wiseau, Johnny Rivers (merging the Fierce Lions Gym) and trainee of Malcolm Vanderbilt Sr, Oliver Thatcher. Blackwell would open a branch in the United States located in Los Angeles, California in 2007 which he would oversee following his move into the country, leaving the UK branch in the hands of Thatcher and Rivers. In 2011, Faye Wakefield would close her Diamond Cutters Wrestling School in Miami, Florida to become the female head trainer of the more financially stable Catch Academy. The academy has since established a strong presence in the United Kingdom wrestling scene and a few notable names in the United States.
History[]
School[]
The Catch Sports Pro-Wrestling Academy is operated by Larry Blackwell, Oliver Thatcher, Johnny Rivers & Faye Wakefield. It provides training programs for those looking to enter the professional wrestling industry. The objective of the program is to "Teach safe wrestling technique, draw on the trainers collective experience and to give students tools to succeed in professional wrestling". Programs include both courses to become a professional wrestler, which requires anywhere between 300–500 hours of training, and professional wrestling referee training, which entails 60 hours of training.
An inside look of the United States location in 2017.
The school has two wrestling rings, a weight room and crash mat floors.
The school initially put on local wrestling events that raised money for local charities in Missouri. The wrestling school later began a running partnership with Wakefield's all-female Diamond Ring Pro-Wrestling that includes many of the program's female talent touring with the American-based wrestling promotion while the males got to work for Thatcher's Pro-Wrestling KINGS England-based promotion.
Classes:[]
Classes of both territories of the Catch Sports Pro-Wrestling Academy are done for for 400 USD or 299 pounds sterling in full prior payments to commencement of course in the following structure:
Beginners:[]
- Course Induction
- Your obligations
- How the Business works
- Etiquette & Conduct
- Terminology
- Introduction to weight lifting
- Cardiovascular conditioning
- Break falls
- Ring positioning
- Mat Wrestling
- Chain wrestling
- Takedowns
- Holds
- Strikes
- Basic high impact moves
- Basic high spots
- Basic match workings
- Ring assembly and dismantle
- Test
Intermediate:[]
- Working body parts- Arms, Legs, Head, Back
- Submissions
- Impact Moves
- Flying Moves
- Running Spots
- Putting it all together
- Putting together a match
- Match formulas
- Singles matches
- Tag matches
- Work experience
- Test
Competent:[]
- Working matches
- Gimmick matches - 3 Way, Mixed, 4 Way, Hardcore psychology etc
- High impact moves and finishers
- Timing & Pacing
- Gimmicks/Character Development
- Interviews
- Identifying strengths & weaknesses
- Polishing your package
- Putting it all together
- Wrap up questions and revision
- Resume, Film match and promo
- Work experience
- Test
By the Competent stage, students are sent out to participate at independent bookings as "enhancement talent". This is to give them a real work experience for a promotion, and an extra credit to test out what you have learnt in front of a live audience. Through time, excursions to other wrestling gyms may take place to test out their work regiments, or taken to independent promotions to learn about the business backstage. Female talents would primarily perform for Faye's Diamond Ring Pro-Wrestling promotion.
Trainers and Guest Trainers:[]
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(Head Trainer of United States location) |
(Head Trainer of United Kingdom location) |
(Head Trainer of United Kingdom location) |
(Female Head Trainer at both locations) |
(Reoccuring guest trainer at both locations) | |||||
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(Guest trainer at United Kingdom location) |
(Guest trainer at United States location.) |
Notable Alumni:[]
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