Much like the history of the entire genre itself, the world of independent professional wrestling can span a wide array of characters, everyone from those with serious potential to make it to the next level to others that are such directionless dreamers that you’d think they’ve never watched the sport before, let alone attempt to be involved in it. As I’ve written about before, there’s an unvarnished charm that the indys have, it’s not overproduced or simply the setting for a television show the way that some of the national productions come across sometimes. More than anything, the independent experience, from the production to the presentation, is based on the live event experience.
As an announcer in the Pittsburgh scene, even the broadcasts are geared toward capturing the live experience for those watching via live stream from the indywrestling.us crew or the fans that want to relive the stellar bouts again later.
Of course, live entertainment is one-take, there’s a live audience with no safety net so being prepared and organized are key to a smooth presentation that can sell tickets and give the fans their money’s worth.
As mentioned, you’ll occasionally find a few local yokels that are in over their heads, look foolish in the process, and eventually find another hobby. On the other end of the spectrum, there are those that understand the rarity of the opportunity to be apart of the industry in a meaningful fashion and take their duties seriously.
One example of this is when I shuffled into the West Newton gym, the home base for the Renegade Wrestling Alliance, a league that has cemented itself in the town over the past 16 years, to avoid the rain last year. It was the usual protocol as I took my roller bag backstage and greeted those already in the building along the way. I spotted longtime booker and nearly 30-year veteran of the business, Quinn Magnum in his usual spot in production with a few run sheets in his hand. An event organizer on the indies must spin a lot of plates, especially prior to bell time, as if someone’s car breaks down or someone else on calls in sick, adjustments have to be made on the fly. Plus, an entire roster has questions about where they are on that night’s line-up. So, I usually wait until Quinn has a moment before I will ask for a run sheet to know the order of the card to be able to be prepared for the live broadcast.
As Quinn was running down a few of the logistics with the sound engineer, Erin, I noticed a young lady literally taking notes in a small pocket notebook for her referee assignments that night. She politely said hello and introduced herself as a referee with the crew of talent that traveled in from Buffalo. I was partially stunned, as I’ve seen some so-called “referees” look so lost that a GPS wouldn’t have helped them gain their bearings and their sole qualification for the position was that they happened to own a stripped shirt.
When Quinn had a free moment, I told him, “she’s taking notes, finally a newbie that understands the job” The grizzled vet of the business responded, “yeah, it makes my job easier because it’s one less person I have to yell at,” Quinn said is his trademark bellowing laugh.
Thankfully, the RWA had longtime officials Jeff Jefferies, a staple of the Pittsburgh circuit, and George Ross, an independent standout, on their roster, but the promotion was getting an addition to their ref crew, Katherine Guenther, known in the stripes as simply Ref Karen.
As a native of the previously mentioned Buffalo, Guenther lived a very typical upbringing. Early in her youth, she was obsessed with comics and art work. She became an avid fan of Batman, Dragon Ball-Z and a slew of anime characters. She would sketch her animated idols in her notebooks during study halls. As with most millennial youngsters, she went through a sad phase in high school as a self-described “emo kid” at the time.
Eventually, she found a genre of heroes that could jump off the page.
“Pro wrestling felt like the next logical step. It’s the closest thing we have to real-life superheroes. Some of my best memories are watching ECW on Sci-Fi with my dad. As an emo kid, Sting was a massive influence on me. And of course, like every kid at that age, I loved the Rated-R Superstar, Edge,” she explained.
Being a right-brained individual with a flare for creativity, Guenther pursued and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies. She landed a job working for an insurance company in recent years and had the perk to work from home to avoid the commute during the blustery Buffalo winters.
However, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, Kate found herself at a crossroads in life.
She had gone through a divorce and had to reassess her path going forward. Unfortunately, she became isolated and lost her sense of purpose, especially as the isolation of the pandemic at the time grew to keep everyone further apart even more so than before.
“Before wrestling, I barely left the house. I worked from home, was a complete hermit, and twice a month my dad had to come jump my car because I wasn’t driving anywhere,” Kate commented.
It wasn’t until a chance invitation from a friend that she reconnected with from high school to check out a pro wrestling show in her area that Kate unknowingly opened the door to the next chapter of her life. On the Grapple Pro card that night, the Zoey Skye vs. Haley Dylan bout opened Kate’s eyes to possibilities she hadn’t considered before.
“Growing up, I didn’t even know independent wrestling existed. I honestly thought you just worked out really hard, and one day Vince McMahon noticed you and recruited you to WWE. At almost 30 years old, you don’t really think athletic pursuits are still an option, you assume that chapter is closed. But Zoey Skye was my age, looked incredible, and completely changed that mindset. Haley Dylan walked out and she was exactly my height, around 5’2”. That single match shattered every limitation I thought I had. They absolutely tore the house down. For my 30th birthday, I decided to give this crazy wrestling thing a try,” Kate said.
The aspiring pro wrestler took her first steps into the squared circle at the Grapple Pro training center, Grappler’s Anonymous in south Buffalo. She started with the basics, learning to land on the canvas as safely as possible, and a variety of technical maneuvers. It wasn’t until she bought a referee shirt on clearance after Halloween last year and continuously worn it to practice that she was given the option to learn how to become an official as well. She worked as a ref for weekly tapings and any practice bouts in training that she could to quite literally learn the ropes as a referee to be able to get an education in every facet of the business possible. While still learning all the techniques of an in-ring wrestler, she stood out in a matter of months as an official with a natural poise and ring presence that saw her excel in the role.
“I train under Mikey Everynite, I’m extremely lucky to train in the same space as Kevin Blackwood and Daniel Garcia, who will occasionally give feedback. Being so close to the Canadian border also means we regularly learn from talent passing through. What makes Grappler’s Anonymous unique is the philosophy of iron sharpens iron. There’s less rigid, step-by-step structure and more collaboration. You’re developing a wrestling brain,learning how to think on your feet, react to any situation, and truly understand the flow of a match,” Kate remarked.
The knowledge that she gained since he took the plunge into pro wrestling training is apparent to anyone that sees her in the striped shirt and matching striped headband to add a feminine flare in the ring. When a promotion entrust Ref Karen to call the action, they get a young professional that looks to enhance each segment she’s scheduled for.
“A great referee has passion for the story being told. It’s not just about knowing the finish, it’s understanding the entire narrative. Who’s the face? Who’s the heel? Where are the big false finishes? What reaction should the ending create? While you never want to take attention away from the wrestlers, a referee can emphasize the moments that matter. The wrestlers tell the story; the referee adds the explanation points,” she explained.
The pursuit of sports entertainment didn’t just give her lessons on a professional career, it also gave her new friendships and allowed her to experience moments that she wouldn’t have dreamed up when she was isolated in her house for weeks at a time.
“Traveling for wrestling has been one of the biggest joys of my life. I’ve put over 40,000 miles on my car traveling through three states and into Canada. Almost every weekend, I’m in a car full of friends, trying to keep each other awake on long drives home. It’s exhausting, I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she said.
As a cat enthusiast that fosters a few dozen felines a year for the Feral Cat Focus organization, Kate helps with efforts to bring strays into good homes, make sure they are neutered as a population control measure, and up to date on all vaccines. Her week at home caring for animals in need is quite the contrast to her maintaining order over the in-ring mayhem on the weekends.
“Taking three ref bumps in a single match at Big League Pro, being part of an Eddie Guerrero belt tribute spot at Erie’s All Stars, Crowning the first Women’s Champion at 4th Rope Wrestling, and finally, I’m a huge Mickie Knuckles fan so refereeing the first all-women’s deathmatch at Death Proof, with Mickie, was incredibly special,” Guenther said of her highlights.
She also noted the bond that was created between the ring ropes and on the road. The late-night gas station food, common accomplishments through their collaborative efforts at events, and the friendships through the industry allows for a comradery unique to professional wrestling, which provides a safe environment for the young female as she makes strides in the business.
“I’ve been very fortunate to always have a strong, supportive group of men around me. I’ve thankfully never had any negative experiences. At Grappler’s, people genuinely look out for one another, especially on the road,” she explained.
Despite her accomplishments in a relatively short time as an official, Kate hasn’t let anyway of that take away from her true enjoyment of the sport. As an avid Game Changer Wrestling fan, she still tunes into events as often as she can to enjoy the action. Plus, she still has a goal to check off her list in professional wrestling.
“I also want to be clear, I’m still trying to wrestle. I’m in the gym every day and at the wrestling gym twice a week, working toward eventually having a match. I’ll admit I’m a much better referee right now than a wrestler, but I’m not giving up,” she concluded.
For more information about Kate, you can go to https://www.facebook.com/katherine.guenther
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
Email [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
