Wrestling clubs play a vital role in the development of young athletes, providing them with the training, skills, and mentorship necessary to succeed in the sport. Among the many outstanding clubs in the Pittsburgh area, All-American Wrestling Club and Roughhouse stand out for their rich history and contributions to the wrestling community. Let's delve into the stories of these clubs and others, exploring their impact on the lives of young wrestlers.
All-American Wrestling Club: A Foundation for Champions
Rob Waller’s All-American Wrestling Club has earned a stellar reputation, with endorsements from top wrestlers like Penn State senior Jason Nolf. Nolf, a Kittanning graduate, credited Waller and his club's training after winning his second NCAA Division I title. He emphasized that during his rehab, he returned to the basics he learned at All-American to train with Waller. All-American is located at Waller’s home in Trauger, Mt. Pleasant Township.
“The things I learned from ‘Coach’ helped me win this title,” Nolf said. In fact, Nolf spent some time at one of Waller’s camps this summer instructing youth wrestlers on those same basics. “I love growing the sport of wrestling and helping kids get better and achieve their goals,” Nolf said.
The Impact on Young Wrestlers
Several top WPIAL wrestlers got their start at All-American, including:
- Frazier junior Thayne Lawrence, the returning 160-pound Class AA state champion
- Mt. Pleasant freshmen Luke Geibig, Noah Gnibus, Noah Teeters and Dayton Pitzer
- Latrobe junior Gabe Willochell
- Derry sophomore Ty Cymmerman
- Penn-Trafford senior Nick Coy
- Hempfield senior Kyle Burkholder
Nolf isn’t the only national champion that comes back to work Waller’s camps. Waller’s son Robby, Greensburg Salem/Pitt Johnstown’s Chris Eddins, Mt. Pleasant/Pitt-Johnstown’s Brandon Newill, Elizabeth Forward/Waynesburg’s Jake Evans and Shaler/Lehigh’s Troy Letters got their starts with All-American and return to work camps. “Troy’s dad put the roof on my building,” Waller said. “It was a trade-off; I’ll train your son for a roof.
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“What pleases me the most is having all these guys come back and work with the kids. The club, the oldest in the area, began in 1973. Waller said they start with the basics to form a good base and add more. “I’m always trying to learn new stuff to teach the kids,” Waller said. “We learned the funk (a defensive move) from a wrestler from Cornell. Mike Yancosky told me about this kid, and he came down and Robby quickly learned.
“He was teaching it to coaches when he was in eighth grade. As Nolf prepares for a chance to win his third NCAA title, he said he will implement some of the basic techniques he learned at All-American with his crazy style. “Last year, I had to be more conservative,” Nolf said. “It was a little boring. But that’s behind me now, and I’m focused on winning another title.
Other Notable Wrestling Clubs
All-American isn’t the only club around Pittsburgh. There are many outstanding clubs where youth wrestlers can learn and train against some of the best in the area.
- Young Guns has various locations, including Franklin Regional and Norwin high schools.
- Quest is near Canonsburg.
- Roughhouse is near Derry
- OMP (One More Period) is near Cranberry.
- Pitt has the Pittsburgh Wrestling Club.
- Seton Hill Wrestling Club is in Greensburg.
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“If you want to be a state champion, you have to do more than practice from 3 to 5. You have to stay after practice, I’ll stick around. Or go to a club and learn the basics and to sharpen your skills.
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The Importance of Basic Techniques
Waller said they start with the basics to form a good base and add more.
MF Wrestling Club is a year round wrestling club. They offer training classes for age groups 4-18. Training consists of a mixture of technique, drilling, wrestling, and mental toughness. Emphasis is placed on school work, character building and sense of team.
South Atlantic Pro Wrestling (SAPW)
South Atlantic Pro Wrestling (SAPW, formerly known as the North American Wrestling Association) was a professional wrestling promotion founded by George Scott, John Ringley and Mike Lamberth in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1990, and later taken over by Paul Jones and Frank Dusek.
The North American Wrestling Association was founded by George Scott, John Ringley and Mike Lamberth in January 1990. The first event and TV taping was held in Sumter, South Carolina on February 8, 1990. The first North American Heavyweight Champion, Robert Fuller, won the championship in an 18-man tournament by defeating Ricky Steamboat in the finals on June 30, 1990, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Scott and Ringley, as former Jim Crockett Promotions employees, recognized the importance of television exposure. The group purchased all the old JCP market stations in the Carolinas along with the original timeslots. George Scott and his partners hoped to revive the National Wrestling Alliance's old Mid-Atlantic wrestling territory which traditionally covered Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
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After securing key television markets in the Carolinas, the promotion signed contracts with all the old Jim Crockett Promotions arenas to hold pro wrestling shows on a regular basis. Within the first year of operation, house shows and TV tapings were held at the Columbia Township Auditorium, Grady Cole Center, Greenwood Civic Center, Limestone College Gym, and the Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum.
SAPW tours also included high school gyms, rec centers, and fairs in cities throughout Georgia, Mississippi, Virginia, and the Carolinas.
SAPW featured many Mid-Atlantic veterans such as Big John Studd, Bob Orton Jr., Ivan Koloff, Junkyard Dog, Manny Fernandez, Matt Bourne, Paul Jones, Randy Colley, Ricky Steamboat, Robert Fuller, Ron Garvin, Tommy Rich, Wahoo McDaniel, and The Fantastics. Other legends such as Lou Thesz, Johnny Weaver, and Tim Woods appeared alongside SAPW announcer Ted Webb as special guest commentators for "South Atlantic Pro Wrestling". Bob Caudle also joined the promotion in late 1991.
The promotion also showcased younger talent, including Baron Samdi, Curtis Thompson, Dean Malenko, Nelson Frazier, The Patriot, P. N. News, Ric Savage, Rob Van Dam, Vince Torelli, The American Pit Bulldogs and The Nasty Boys. Chris Chavis, who had trained under Larry Sharpe at the Monster Factory prior to his SAPW debut, was its first breakout star. During his first year in SAPW, he was voted 3rd runner up for Rookie of the Year in Pro Wrestling Illustrated.
SAPW catered to traditional Southern wrestling fans that had grown up during the Mid-Atlantic territory's "glory years" of previous decades. The promoters promised a back-to-basics approach to pro wrestling that provided an alternative to "sports entertainment" marketed by the World Wrestling Federation.
The promotion had a brief association with the World Wrestling Council after Manny Fernandez became SAPW's booker in August 1991. In November of that year, Fernandez was "suspended" from the promotion when he took the SAPW Heavyweight Championship to Puerto Rico.
In spite of a strong start, the promotion operated at a loss during its first six months in business. George Scott lost an estimated $600,000 before deciding to cut his losses and retire to Florida. There was a noticeable drop in quality after the original investors pulled out and many of the promotion's top stars left the area. "South Atlantic Pro Wrestling" remained in the Friday night death slot throughout its two-year run.
Jones and Dusek eventually sold SAPW to North Carolina promoter Greg Price who ran the promotion during its final year.
NAWA/SAPW Title Histories
The following table outlines the title history of the North American Wrestling Association (NAWA) and South Atlantic Pro Wrestling (SAPW):
| Championship | Notes |
|---|---|
| NAWA Heavyweight Championship | Fuller defeated Ricky Steamboat in a tournament final to become the first NAWA Heavyweight Champion. The championship is vacated when Fernandez leaves the promotion with the title. |
| NAWA Tag Team Championship | The Nasty Boys defeated Danny Allen and Bob Emery in a tournament final to become the first NAWA Tag Team Champions. The titles are returned to The Pitbulldogs when they fail to receive a rematch within a 15-day time period. |
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