Doors open for the line at 6 p.m. outside the Peebles High School gym in Adams County, where audience members purchase last-minute tickets, get snacks at the concessions and meet some of the wrestlers. The gymnasium is loud as excited fans fill up the seats. Suddenly, an announcer takes the stage, telling the audience that the show is about to start.
Bell time: 7 p.m.
The wrestlers aren’t here for money, fame or glory. They are raising money for the Peebles High School Girls Basketball team as volunteers for Spot Monkey Promotions, an organization that plans fundraising events for school athletic departments around Southeast Ohio. Tonight’s show will feature seven matches including the main event, a six-man match—three versus three.
Tonight, the wrestlers hope to raise $1,000 to $1,500 for athletic gear.
Spot Monkey first began in 2021. The economic stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic created a greater need for fundraisers to support athletic programs. Tim Taylor, founder of Spot Monkey, started with his hometown of Williamsburg.
“The pandemic put a damper on the income for a lot of the athletic programs,” Taylor says. “They had been hurt so bad by the pandemic; they were certainly open to the idea of a fundraiser.”
Since then, Taylor has hosted wrestling match-style fundraisers throughout Southeast Ohio.
Tonight’s fundraiser started with Peebles Elementary School teacher, Justin Smith. When Smith—who has been watching WWE matches ever since he could walk—learned about Spot Monkey Promotions, it was love at first headlock. Smith approached Sidney Pell, head coach for the girls basketball team at Peebles High School, with the idea of using Spot Monkey to fundraise for the team.
“Around here, Peebles basketball is the number one sport. I want to make sure the girls get the recognition they deserve, because I know how much time and effort Sid puts in,” Smith says.
The events have concessions, wrestler autographs, photo opportunities and merchandise. All ticket and concession sales go toward the Peebles Girls Basketball team.
“Pro wrestling has a stigma of being a whole bunch of beer bellied, middle aged men out there in their underwear, sweating and fake punching each other, but it truly is a pageantry event. These guys put their bodies on the line to entertain us, and all the money goes to a good cause,” Smith says.
The events have concessions, wrestler autographs, photo opportunities and merchandise. All ticket and concession sales go toward the Peebles Girls Basketball team.
“Pro wrestling has a stigma of being a whole bunch of beer bellied, middle aged men out there in their underwear, sweating and fake punching each other, but it truly is a pageantry event. These guys put their bodies on the line to entertain us, and all the money goes to a good cause,” Smith says.
The crowd comes alive as the main event begins: Team A features Carson Drake, Dalton McKenzie and Aaron Williams. Team B includes Jack Vaughn, Jake Omen and Lord Crew.
The match heats up as Team A engages the crowd with some playful smack talk. The audience starts to boo Team A, making them the “villains” of the match and Team B the “heroes.”
The heroes set to work on the villains. The villains retaliate, teaming up on hero Omen, tagging in and out in a merciless attack.
Omen struggles in the ring until he finally taps in his teammates. Together, the heroes finally start to defeat the villains.
Drake remains the last villain standing. Though he tries with all his strength, he is unable to defeat his opponents. As the match comes to an end, the audience stands and cheers with excitement.
While Spot Monkey loves to thrill its audience, they keep the show family friendly, inviting everyone to join in on the fun.
“There (is) no vulgarity, no foul language. Everything (is) good, clean, wholesome wrestling,” Smith says.
Professional wrestlers can be stereotyped as fakers, but Spot Monkey wrestler Chris Ledbetter, known as Sargent Ledbetter in the ring, is quick to defend his sport.
“Wrestling is 100% fake and 100% real at the exact same time, if that makes sense, because obviously we’re going out there and we are cooperating with each other. We’re putting on a show for the fans, and that’s what matters,” Ledbetter says.
Everyone looks as if they were having the time of their lives, especially the girls basketball coach. Pell was up there with the wrestlers getting in on the action. She was the “coach” for one of the wrestlers helping him knock out his opponent.
“I’ve never actually been to one of these before, so I’m having a blast. It’s a lot of fun,” Pell says.
The last bell rings at 9:30 p.m. Final count: Spot Monkey has raised $800 from ticket sales and $250 from concessions for a total of $1,050, meeting the team’s goal.
Find us on Social Media