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BORN 18th December, 1975, Patricia Anne Stratigias was a Canadian with a taste of Europe thrown in for good measure. Parents Alison and John provided a Polish and Greek background respectively, ensuring that Patricia would forever hold a degree of mystery behind her pretty North American complexion.
The eldest of three children, Patricia, better known as wrestling star Trish Stratus, grew up with a sporty childhood. From field hockey to soccer, if it was competitive then Trish was there. “I was a frisky little tomboy” she admits, likely to be found down the local park chasing frogs.
Wrestling may not have been in the blood, but her athletic nature and love for the rough and tumble led Trish to be a grappling fan in her youth. Frequently competing in backyard matches with friends and family, was this Toronto native destined for the squared circle at an early age?
A budding education and love for all things scientific saw Trish excel at school. Despite the obvious talent for all things sporty, she chose to pursue a career in the medical profession. The Goal: To become a doctor. Easier said than done, though, and attempting to double-major in the field of Biology and Kinesiology at York University was embarked upon as the route into her preferred career.
With her course to success set, Trish’s ship hit the rocks in 1997 while waiting to sit her exams. A strike by University lecturers left Trish and other students up the proverbial creek and without a paddle. The first major crossroads of life had been reached and it was decision time. Trish spent the summer considering her options and waiting for University to come back round into session.
However, a job as receptionist at a local gym opened doors that Trish would have previously thought unimaginable. Scot Able, a well renowned Canadian trainer who had clients at the gym, suggested to Trish that she do some ads for a supplement line that would be running in fitness magazine Musclemag International. Able introduced Trish to publisher Robert Kennedy, a meeting that was to change Trish’s life forever. Kennedy liked what he saw and asked Trish for some photos (which she didn’t have as modelling was a new concept to her). Kennedy decided to arrange a test shoot, which transpired to last three hours and yield 700 shots. Trish had made an immediate impact. Kennedy offered her a location shoot six months later.
Trish had never trained with weights for bodybuilding purposes but was well toned due to her sporty childhood. But the soccer had to go as Trish devoted all of her time to getting in peak physical condition for her new career. Through a rigorous training schedule and new diet, Trish transformed her body. The rewards were instant as her first photoshoot yielded a magazine cover appearance.
Her rise was rapid. Trish undertook a number of signing sessions and magazine appearances throughout North America and Europe and even featured in Urban Male Magazine – a non-fitness publication, in which she was billed as “Canada’s hottest young celebrity.” A highly successful photoshoot with fellow fitness model Stacey Lynn saw the birth of the “Dream Team” calendar series, selling out quickly.
Trish hit the internet world in May of that year when her official website opened for business. She designed the site herself, albeit on paper, allowing a designer to put her plans into action and produce a high quality site for her fans to visit. There was no limit to her talents and weekly appearances on the LAW (Live Audio Wrestling) radio show in her hometown of Toronto send the rumour mill into overdrive. Here was a girl with natural beauty and a love for professional wrestling…was she the perfect employee for Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Entertainment?
Word was getting out. Trish Stratus, Canadian fitness model and all-round beauty, also happened to be a huge fan of wrestling. On top of that, she was a major player on a wrestling radio show each and every week in Toronto. It was only a matter of time before the WWE came calling.
When the host of TSN show “Off The Record”, Michael Landsberg, required a good looking girl to come on and talk wrestling, he was given the name of Trish. The call she made to Landsberg would change the course of her career forever. Although not familiar with Trish, Landsberg was instructed by Trish herself to drive around Toronto and check out her pictures on the billboards. Landsberg did so and the rest, as they say, is history.
After appearing on OTR, the internet was running wild with speculation but at the time, it was just that; speculation. Trish was undoubtedly keen to be a part of the WWE and through her work on the LAW; she went backstage at an event where she met the company’s former Head of Talent Relations, Jim Ross.
Ross was responsible for the hiring of new talent and like Robert Kennedy of Musclemag and Michael Landsberg, he liked what he saw. Still, Trish had no wrestling background and was told that in order to win a contract with the company; she’d have to undergo training at a wrestling school. And so, the next chapter in Trish’s career had begun. The sporty science nut who once aspired to be a doctor was now a well known International fitness model on the verge of entering professional wrestling. A rollercoaster ride, indeed.
Trish went for her training at Sulley’s Gym in Toronto under the guidance of Ron Hutchison – who oversaw the rise of WWE superstars, and Canadian natives, Edge & Christian. Belying her stunning looks, Trish mixed it up and impressed immediately. This pretty girl wasn’t afraid of getting hurt; in fact she almost enjoyed it and was even developing her own array of moves. Her version of the bulldog was known as the Strausphere back in Sulley’s Gym, which was later modified into the springboard bulldog StratusFaction which we see today.
The wrestling world was catching fire with rumours of Trish’s seemingly imminent arrival to the WWE. However, McMahon’s franchise was unsurprisingly not the only ones showing an interest in Stratus. Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling both showed their hand and made it clear that Trish would be welcome aboard. But for Trish, there was only ever one place of choice. She signed with the WWE in late November ’99 thus fulfilling a lifelong dream. Her backyard wrestling days were long gone; it was now time for the real thing.
Stamford chiefs wanted to pitch Trish into action straight away. Her role would be defined as foxy valet who used her charms on the outside as well as the odd cameo appearance between the ropes. However, visa problems delayed Trish’s debut until March of 2000. But the wait was well worth it.♥
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