Hamilton said his thoughts shifted to the comedy troupe Tortorello started back in their college days to raise money for Marian. I definitely had classmates and friends who were exorbitantly wealthy then classmates and friends who struggled and could not have been in school next to me sitting in class if they didnt have quite a bit of tuition assistance, as well, Tortorello said. Its the day before a Warrior Wrestling show, and Tortorello and Hamilton are still scheming. Best For The BusinessWrestleZones annual celebration of the people in the wrestling business that have made the one true sport a little better this year. 18 on its list of Best College Prep Private High Schools in Illinois.. However, students can wear almost any shoes, which can lead to other issues. Despite all of his wrestling companys financial success, Tortorello has never pocketed a single dime for all of the hours hes poured into every aspect of the company since the day it began.

Of the roughly 1,000 students at Marian, Tortorello said about 65% to 70% require financial aid or tuition assistance. Underneath a basketball rim, a small stage with a ramp extends down the lane for entrances. We cant put on the caliber of show that Warrior Wrestling likes to be with 50 paying fans. All remaining income goes to scholarships. We have tons of kids that come from rough neighborhoods or trying personal situations, and many of them consider the school their real home, Tortorello wrote in an email. Warrior Wrestling, a Chicago-area independent promotion is in a unique position in that the promoter, Steve Tortorello, is also the head principal of the school that hosts their events. Introducing the Stadium Series this fall, Warrior Wrestling hosted three events in September that followed strict social distancing guidelines on the football field at Marian Catholic High School. Tortorello came from a middle-class family but said his time at Marian convinced him of the great value in maintaining a super diverse student body. 28 on its 2019 list of Top 30 Murder Capitals of America.. Like countless others, an endowment helped Brzeszkiewicz attend Marian. So, I said, Why dont you think about doing it at Marian? If a kid shows up in hand-me-downs instead of a brand-new pair of Nikes, they will likely get some strange looks. Its the same discussion that we have at my day job at schoolif we can do it safely, then we should do it, and if we cant do it safely, we shouldnt do it.

The schools dress code mandates that students wear a Marian logo polo shirt tucked into school-approved clothing. Google Docs are shared. Marians student body is an ethnic stew, with kids from more than 70 zip codes. Data from the National Catholic Educational Association shows that 99% of students who attend Catholic high schools graduate, and 86% of those graduates attend four-year colleges. Because of that we opened up a rapport and we just became friends. All that matters to him is getting kids into Marian, which was awarded an A overall grade by Niche, and ranked No. While some may balk at the idea of having high-profile wrestling cards in this space, Tortorello cites Pro Wrestling Guerilla, a successful project that was run out of an American Legion Hall in Reseda, California, for over a decade. Even though the viciousness of piledrivers, dropkicks and DDTs might be eyebrow-raising to the religious faithful, the promotion isnt a vanity project. But then there are other kids who know that we do these shows and think its the coolest thing in the world.

A decade ago, hed trained for about six months in Mach-1 Professional Wrestlings Wrestling 101 class, which showed him he didnt actually want to be a performer. Give it a shot, Tortorello said, if youre committed to doing it safely., I think for us, when we launched the Stadium Series [the three shows hosted at Marians football stadium], Friday Night Lights was the proof of concept. Then we said were going to do this three more times before the weather turns cold here in Chicago because we were up front, we said were probably done until [May 2021] because we couldnt foresee how we could do it safely indoors and in a way thats economically viable, Tortorello explained, and we still dont. I kind of always had this bug about creative stuff and doing things that I like, but also about raising money for kids at our school, Tortorello said. He wont stop until that spirit permeates his life, including his leadership roles at both Marian and Warrior Wrestling. Tortorello earned three degrees, including a masters in education, through Notre Dames Alliance for Catholic Education, which allowed him to become principal at age 27. He really could do whatever he wants to do, but he doesnt do anything half-assed. Thats the difference, and its not binary. At Marian, each school day begins with a morning prayer and ends with the Dominican Blessing. Warrior Wrestling takes Herculean work to put on, but Tortorello said its worth every minute to create an environment where people of all different shapes and sizes are welcomed the same environment hes strived to create in the halls of his school. He has taken purpose to the mat creating opportunity for kids who are more than worthy. The prayer includes requests for blessings and healing, but also for hands to do the work of God and mouths for preaching words of saving power. The Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois, say the words of the prayer flow from contemplation to action and back again. Vince believed in me to spend some money to make some money.. Im the volunteer booker, president, travel agent, production guy you name it, Tortorello said. Instead, hes creating achievers, bringing them into a school house where expectation is everything, including a pathway to build their dreams. For one kid in particular, he looked back on where all the guys from his neighborhood ended up in life, Tortorello wrote in an email. They represent only a handful of the chants that rain down on the wrestlers flying off the ropes and slamming each other onto the mat. In a dimly lit venue about 30 miles south of Chicago, 800 professional wrestling fans cry out to their favorite, and least favorite, competitors with reckless fervor. Texts, phone calls and emails flow at all hours of the night. What really energized him was creating the communal atmosphere he loved so much. The remaining 13% comes from donations and fundraising activities.. It went from a one-time, special, crazy thing to becoming an ongoing promotion. In each class, roughly 30% of students are white, 40% black, 15% Hispanic and 15% from all other backgrounds. I wanted to do something else that I like, and I wanted to use it to help the school.. There are some kids who know that we do these shows, and it doesnt mean absolutely anything to them other than, like, their volleyball practice has to be moved out of the gym, and thats a pain in the butt, Tortorello said. This year was a completely different year that no one expected, and so much has radically changed in the past twelve months and still does each day in 2020. His fight to give students the futures they deserve is validated, and his passion burns ever brighter. When a Warrior Wrestling event ends and fans start filing out of the gymnasium in a rhythmic pattern, Tortorello cant help but sit back and smile. But that can only be a reality if theres some way to help them with their tuition.. About 20% would be qualified to receive free or reduced-priced lunch in public schools. The school would lose money, it doesnt add up economically. Warrior Wrestling not only had to a find a way to continue to operate within the wrestling world, but had to contend with local and educational parameters. Warrior started in December 2017 and hosted the inaugural event in May of 2018, and combines Tortorellos two passions in lifeeducation and helping kids, and pro wrestling., I had originally pitched the idea to my boss, the president of our school. Once the $100 threshold is crossed, the show has paid for itself. Noting that they cant viably run indoor events in the winter, Tortorello says theyll be back again when its safe to do so, and that is always the key. Steve Tortorello, a lifelong fan of professional wrestling, sits and watches the action with a discerning eye. But more importantly, a new generation of students get a chance to better themselves and narrow the gaps that might otherwise keep college and a good life out of reach. I always offer my input and advice, and Steves always been very accepting to it, Polinsky said. Home Wrestling News Warrior Wrestling Combines Steve Tortorellos Two Passions In Life: Being An Educator And Pro Wrestling. The newest of two gymnasiums on Marians campus, which usually plays host to events like Advanced Placement exams or volleyball practices, is cleaned and covered in tarps before the ring is built, chairs are set up and stadium bleachers are pulled out to seat fans. Its really grown into a life of its own. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Just this past Friday night, after Kairos [a retreat for juniors and seniors], a mom stopped me in the hallway with tears in her eyes and just hugged me and thanked me for all that the school had done for her son, Tortorello shared in an email. Nearly 29% of residents live below the poverty line and about 74% are African American or Hispanic, shows 2016 demographic research from Data USA. Check out our full interview at the top of this post; the other interviews in our Best For The Business series can be found on the list linked below: Read More:Best For The Business 2020: Pro Wrestlings Most Influential People, Promotions and Brands, monitoring_string = "851cc24eadecaa7a82287c82808f23d0". Britt Baker, D.M.D. (Brian Cage, Lance Archer, Joey Janela and Jeff Cobb), It was a lot of logistical challenges, but at the same time, thats part of the fun. Financial aid is awarded based on need, and many students from around Chicago Heights request assistance because their families cant afford private education. So, its very nice to be able to give back to the school through also something that I love.. And as you said, Tortorello said, the money goes back to the school to help kids with scholarships and the way it happens varies.. Despite all of the setbacks, cancellations, and everything that went along with this year, were highlighting some of the names on-air and behind the scenes that helped make an unprecedented and uncertain year in the wrestling business a little better. That makes them immediately some of the biggest indie wrestling shows in the country in the last many, many years, Tortorello said. But as far as pure indie American shows were some of the biggest, which is incredible.. Tortorello asked Marians president if he would hear him out on a crazy idea. Notebooks are filled. It has generated an estimated $32,000 to date for the scholarship fund, money that finds its way to students in need, just as it did for Kyle Brzeszkiewicz, 24. Tortorello, whod always been engaged in creative pursuits, had been seeking a new outlet outside his daily grind. Their stories vary, but the theme is regularly the same that they feel loved and cared about here.. (LogOut/ We knew ahead of time that the way to do it safely was outdoors, we crammed three shows outdoors and we packed up the circus for the winter. Ill continue to wear both of those hats and try to do as much as I can to merge my crazy passion outside of my day job as well as my passion for my day job and let each one make the other one stronger.. In those moments, race dissolves. Only four slides into a 25-minute presentation, Krydynski told Tortorello he could stop: Marian would front the capital for all show-related expenses.