Stepping into the Ring with Wrestling Champ Heather Owens
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with Cincinnati wrestling champion and trailblazer Heather Owens at the Northern Wrestling Federation's Bonekrushers National Pro Wrestling Training Center.
Written by Michael Cotrell. Photography by Stacy Wegley.
But before we get to the action, let’s start at the beginning. Growing up in Cincinnati, Heather, surprisingly, never watched wrestling. That all changed in 1997 when her father had free tickets to a W.W.F. Raw wrestling show, and Heather attended the event with boys from her class. The music and the performances captivated her – and this was the moment she caught the “wrestling bug.”
Skipping ahead to December 30, 2005 – just eight years after her first exposure to the wrestling world as a kid – Heather – known as “Hardcore” Heather Owens in the wrestling ring – had her first official match. Heather, previously trained by Cincinnati wrestling staple Les Thatcher, was training with Cody Hawk at the time at Cincinnati's Heartland Wrestling Association (H.W.A.).
Heather’s first match was a battle royale. In a battle royale, 20 or more people are all wrestling at once for glory – and the last one standing is the winner. During the battle royale, Heather defeated over 70 men and women to win the H.W.A. World War III Battle Royal. Talk about stamina!
At the time of her professional wrestling debut, few women were in the sport, meaning matches for her to compete in were limited. She even had to wrestle against “smaller men” at times. However, she stood out among the male wrestlers for her strength and energy.
Over 13 years, she participated in over 600 matches – and even refereed four times. Heather retired from wrestling in 2019. With her retirement, Heather says she misses the opportunity to entertain, the adrenaline rush of the crowd, and the fans – but she does not miss the action. Action hurts!
A year after her retirement, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame at W.A.R. Wrestling, and she will be inducted into the Battle On The Border Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2023.
Heather, the co-chair of the Cincinnati Pride Athletics Committee at Cincinnati Pride, organized the first all-L.G.B.T.Q+ wrestling match at Humble Monk Brewing Company on November 4, 2022, and featured many local wrestling personas. The response to the match was overwhelmingly positive – and the sponsors were excited to join and be a part of the fun. She says she is looking to do more similar events – and continue breaking down barriers for all those interested in stepping into the ring.
Heather credits Chyna, one of the first women to compete in professional wrestling at the national level, as her biggest inspiration. However, Heather herself has inspired many women who want to participate in the sport. Being a trailblazer comes with ups and downs, but seeing the women’s event and the number of women thriving in the community proves what she has set out to do is working.
“Hardcore” Heather Owens is proof that hard work, determination, grit, and stamina make you a trailblazer.
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