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WOW - Women of Wrestling will present its ““Dancing To A Different Drum” episode this weekend nationally via syndication this weekend.
Among the talents featured this weekend will be Coach Campanelli, teaming with her protege Randi Rah Rah to face The Disciplinarian and GI Jane. Since the return of WOW, Campanelli has been a regular feature in the ring, in vignettes and even representing the series recently on Let's Make A Deal. PWInsider.com sat down with the proud California native earlier this week to discuss the unique life experiece that comes with performing for WOW - Women of Wrestling and more.
The WOW Tryout Process:
"Well, I've been an athlete all my life, and that includes watching sports. I've watched wrestling. My dad, my uncles, my cousins, my brothers, they all watched wrestling. I love wrestling. I do a little bit of everything and, and everything. So *laughs* wrestling just kind of seemed like the natural progression at the time. I knew about WOW became a WOW Superhero, I actually got to go to a few of their live events and see. I had seen the show and I just really loved everything about what WOW stands for. So I heard that they were having tryouts, and I thought, well, of course they need Coach *Laughs*, and they agreed. So here I am. [On the tryout], I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I always subscribe to a rigorous training schedule regardless, and it was definitely that. I think they said it was gonna be about two weeks. It turned out to be one, but it was every day, and they just kind of threw you into the fire. Selina [Majors] was a part of that. David McLane was a part of that, and it was actually a really cool experience to kind of get a taste of what WOW was all about before getting to join. I definitely found muscles that I've never used before."
The Coach Campanelli persona:
"Well, I am Coach and Coach is certainly a larger than life person. That's me! *laughs* I think the really cool thing about WOW is that we have such a diverse roster of wrestlers and athletes from all kinds of different backgrounds, both athletically and just in life in general. So, WOW really gives us a space to showcase who we are in a larger than life capacity, and it's been really cool to be able to show a part of me that is competitive and and I hope inspiring and knowledgeable, and at times a little bit aggressive." *Laughs*
Performing on a weekly TV series designed to inspire a younger audience:
"It's really an incredible feeling and honestly, you know, it helps. You don't have to see the faces of the people that you touch,but just knowing that there might be somebody out there who can see and learn and be inspired...WOW is amazing because it's the only all women's wrestling entertainment franchise with a global TV footprint. So it's all throughout the United States and beyond, and we're hoping to grow that outreach as well. But for me, being a coach, being an athlete, being a woman, just being allowed to - through WOW, and with the help of WOW and Paramount show that women are the main event, we can be the whole thing. It's not only for just little girls out there to see. I'm an aunt of both nieces and nephews and I want my nephews and my whole family to know that I can be whatever I set my mind to, I can do and so can they. I think that's just as inspiring to the whole, to everybody, you know?"
Her Match this week on WOW - Women of Wrestling:
"Rand iand I have had the benefit of wrestling the Disciplinarian before, so we might have a little bit of insight, but you know, she's got Samantha Smart in her corner and you never know what to expect from her. Plus there's GI Jane who is joining them now. So it's gonna be a little bit of a new curve as well. She's a strong person both physically and mentally, but I'm all about playing every avenue of the game. So if it means getting in her head, you know, a drill sergeant and a coach, not too different *laughs*, or if it means just trying to overpower physically, we will try whatever we can."
Building Her Rapport wit Randi Rah Rah as a duo:
"It's been a really fun experience. I think everybody is a little, can be a little resistant to critique and to some coaching, but once you realize that what I have to say, I'm not just, you know, letting hot air out that I actually know what I'm talking about, you might be a little less resistant. So I think that's been our dynamic and I think Randi is now on board with Coach being the leader of our team."
April Mendez:
"I learned all kinds of ways and AJ has definitely been not only an inspiration while she was wrestling, but an inspiration in her contributions to WOW, she's really fascinating and really awesome, both as a commentator and wrestler. So yeah, just being able to be near her and be able to talk to her, it's been a really cool experience and I'm definitely more enriched from it."
How Performing for WOW has changed how she's viewed professional wrestling:
"it is a sport unlike any other, that's for sure. I mean, it's so cool to be able to be so physical and have a platform where I can speak directly to the fans and the crowd and that they and you really feel connected while you're wrestling, but also are really just trying to go for gold, basically. You're trying to win. I think it's really helped me enjoy watching wrestling a lot more too, because it gives me an extra appreciation for how difficult it really is and like how awesome the technique of other people is."
Potentially winning the WOW Tag Team Championship:
"Oh man, it would mean everything. I mean, a lot of people, like I said, are resistant to hearing my coach tips or they think I'm, I'll talk in no game. But really I'm here to show what coach is all about what Coach and Randi can do together. And if we get that opportunity, I believe we can get this tag Team championship belts."
This weekend's edition of WOW - Women of Wrestling will feature:
*The Tonga Twins vs. Team Exile's Exodus and Genesis.
*Tormenta vs. Vivian Rivera.
*The Heavy Metal Sisters vs. Chantilly Chella and Foxxy Fierce.
*Coach Kampanelli & Randi Rah Rah vs. GI Jane & The Disciplinarian with Samantha Smart & Ice Cold.
For more, visit www.WOWE.com. At their site, you can enter their zip code to find the local station that carries WOW in the United States.
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