Manny Lemons, Reka Tehaka and different Devotion Championship Wrestling wrestlers invaded Magna elementary faculty. Courtesy Devotion Championship Wrestling
Wrestlers from Devotion Championship Wrestling stand within the ring at Magna elementary faculty. Courtesy Devotion Championship Wrestling
There are few instances in life you get the prospect to see a wrestling ring inside an elementary faculty’s gymnasium.
However Devotion Championship Wrestling — Utah’s homegrown wrestling group with connections to the broader wrestling world — made it occur.
Dozens of youngsters filtered into the Magna elementary faculty gymnasium Tuesday to see DCW’s professional wrestlers battle it out within the ring. The wrestling group’s stars — Manny Lemons, Andrew So Nicely and Reka Takah — gathered within the ring to indicate off their in-ring expertise and skills.
However the wrestlers additionally promoted one thing aside from the title belts and championships — they shared a message of anti-bullying.
“Devotion Championship Wrestlingis about giving again to the neighborhood,” the founder, Manny Lemons, informed me after the anti-bullying meeting. “And we actually care concerning the kids and bullying.”
Wrestlers from Devotion Championship Wrestling stand within the ring at Magna elementary faculty.
Courtesy Devotion Championship Wrestling
The DCW crew packed a hoop into the elementary faculty’s auditorium. The wrestlers carried out matches for the scholars, too.
“It was superior,” Lemons stated, “That was probably the most enjoyable I’ve had shortly.”
Along with placing on a wrestling present, the wrestlers took microphones and promoted messages of anti-bullying, saying that physicality shouldn't be at all times the best way to settle scores. Typically simply speaking out points — and discovering easy methods to peace — could be sufficient to keep away from confrontation.
Devotion Championship Wrestling just lately celebrated its third anniversary with a mega occasion at The Gateway in Salt Lake Metropolis, the place the pro-wrestling group typically hosts its matches.
The occasion was a fruits of three years of fixed grinding and hustling of Lemons and his household. After I first spoke with Lemons about DCW, he informed me the promotion was based mostly on household and neighborhood. He needed to collect the pro-wrestling fan neighborhood collectively and promote positivity. He needed to present alternatives to members of the family and anybody who desires to be a professional wrestler.
Although wrestling is filled with violence and harmful strikes, Lemons desires to guarantee that the promotion is doing its half to advertise security and higher options than hitting folks with metal chairs.
“It’s all about making an influence for the neighborhood,” he stated. “Be the instance. We care about our youngsters and the bullying.”