Teddy Hart opens wrestling camp
By ERIC FRANCIS -- Calgary Sun
Love it or hate it, wrestling may very well be the most watched
"sport" in North America.
Yet unlike the hundreds of local minor league organizations that provide
children with a place to play their sport of choice, there is nowhere for kids
to learn to wrestle.
Calgary's Ted Annis, 19, is trying to change that.
Annis, one of the youngest wrestlers to sign with the World Wrestling
Federation, is running a wrestling camp to give children a place to learn the
ropes in a safe environment.
"Kids are going to (wrestle) with or without my school and they're going to
get hurt doing it," said Annis, citing several cases in the U.S. where kids
have been paralysed or killed imitating wrestlers.
"It gives kids a chance to do what they want to do. I teach kids anything
they want to learn but we show them the proper and safe way to do it. This is
their playground."
The oldest grandson in the massive wrestling family anchored by Stu and
Helen Hart, Annis started wrestling more than four years ago.
With the help of respected coach Leo Burke, who now teaches Bret's WCW
adult camp in town, he reached a talent level which prompted the WWF to sign
him to a six-year deal as an 18-year-old.
However, because of the Owen Hart wrongful death lawsuit launched by
several of his family members against WWF boss Vince McMahon, Annis doesn't
expect to perform on the circuit for at least another year.
In the meantime, he's working on bulking up his 180-lbs. frame and teaching
the camp at his father's gym, BJ's.
They've set up a padded ring and with the help of Davey Boy Smith's son
Harry, 13, they teach a wide range of progressive techniques.
Open for business just a month ago, Annis already has 21 students including
seven adults and 14 kids ranging in ages from seven to 18.
Classes are offered twice daily and include everything from practising
moves and mock TV interviews to hearing guest speakers and doing trampoline
work.
Annis occasionally takes students up to the Hart mansion to wrestle, see
the dungeon and meet his uncles and famous grandfather.
He even shuttles students to and from their lessons.
"Nobody gets hurt here and the parents love it -- I've already heard
testimonials from parents saying it changed their kid's life," said Annis, who
is thinking about starting a similar camp for women.
"The camp gives kids an opportunity they can't get anywhere else. It also
gets kids on a general path of taking care of themselves and, who knows, they
may want to pursue a pro wrestling career down the road."
Dad agrees that while there are several pricey wrestling schools for
adults, like the one run by his brothers-in-law, there is no grassroots system
getting youngsters involved in the sport.
"Any other sport you can learn anywhere," said BJ, currently running a
conditioning camp for several NHL and WHL players. "This is really a
pioneering effort and he's getting a lot of heat from older people (in the
biz) that are mad he's exposing the sport."
- - -
WOMEN'S QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Men are like fine wine. They all start out like grapes, and it's our job
to stomp on them and keep them in the dark until they mature into something
with which you'd like to have dinner with."
-- Anonymous
For information on the school, call Ted Annis @ B.J.'s Gym, 403-262-5060
