LadySports ::: Meet Trina

“I want to be the best at what I do…”

by Shiai Mata

Growing up in Shelbyville, Kentucky, Trina enjoyed watching pro wrestling on TV, and in particular admired the women who stepped between the ropes. A natural athlete who enjoys running, swimming and playing softball, that child grew into a beautiful brunette standing 5’2” and tipping the scales at a firm 115 pounds, gazing out at the world with luminous green eyes. And as an adult, she made the decision to pursue her dream of being a wrestler.

She learned early that the cornerstone to a wrestling career is training, and lots of it. Undaunted, Trina undertook a strenuous workout regime which she maintains to this day. “The day starts early,” she says. “I run three miles a day. I eat five small meals a day. I run stairs, and then go to training for three hours, and then hit the gym. It makes for a long day.” The results, clearly, speak for themselves, as they have since her pro debut in April of 2004.

“I am a very good chain wrestler,” she avows without a trace of egotism. “I can pretty much wrestle out of any hold I am put in. And as for any specific signature move, I’m probably best known for my Cross Body”

But something more than physical development occurred to the brunette; she also found the demands and discipline of the sport changing her in other, more profound ways. “Wrestling has changed my life, in that I am more dedicated to something that is important to me. I want to be the best at what I do, so it gives me a goal to work for. Fulfillment probably is the best way to describe it.”

Hard work comes at a cost, of course. And for a wrestler, that price is often physical. “I have been very lucky, knock on wood, to have never been badly hurt,” Trina gratefully says. “I have been bruised and banged up, and I‘ve been sore, but nothing’s been broken or torn.” She pauses for a moment, and then adds with a smile, “I did have a small black eye once, but the referee gave me that!”

Away from the ring, she pampers herself with trendy clothes and loves Mexican and Italian foods. Music from the 80’s is sure to get her out on the dance floor. And she’s keeping busy pursuing her Master’s Degree in Social Work. But her thoughts don’t stray from the sport for long. When not concentrating on her own career, she thinks about what women’s wrestling needs to better succeed in the business. After a lot of careful consideration, she’s come to the conclusion that having women play more roles and assume more positions of leadership within the sport as a whole is the key to having women’s wrestling earn the respect it deserves. She believes that women can bring things to the business which most men can’t. “Women have a lot to add to wrestling. We have different perspectives on things than men do, so we can offer different angles.”

She professes to having no regrets, other than “not starting in the sport sooner.” But that doesn’t mean she’s so stoic that she can’t be affected by reactions to her being a wrestler. “Many people think I’m too small,” she says with a knowing smile. “I say that it is not the size, but how fast and smart you are in the ring that counts!” And she’s positively overwhelmed by the support she receives from her fast-growing fan base, being particularly proud that her fans come from so many different walks of life. And her head was positively turned when she was complimented for her abilities by ring legend Rip Rogers.

“I am a very open-minded person,” says the brunette, explaining the personal tenets which she brings with her into the ring each night. “I always see the glass as half-full. And I hate two-faced people; the _expression you see on my face goes with my corresponding mood.”

Asked for her personal motto, Trina says, “Never let anyone break your spirit!”

And judging by the flash of intelligence tinged with ambition in those sparkling green eyes, it’s fair to say that no one will be breaking Trina’s spirit.

Download Trina's Match versus Passion