by Ric Flair
My dad was taking Reid to Providence High School to train with AAU wrestlers. He met the volleyball coach and started talking about me and the teams I played on. Providence had the highest-ranked 4A girls’ volleyball team in North Carolina. Its program was built by one of the most respected coaches in the country, Coach Zoe Bell.8
After several conversations with my parents and feeling that I was outgrowing my environment, I decided to leave Providence Day in the fall and transfer to PHS as a sophomore. It was time for something new!
I knew that after being in a more close-knit, private-school setting for more than ten years, going to a larger, public school was going to be an adjustment. One positive note was that PHS was down the road from where I went to school, so I felt like I was in the same neighborhood.
By this time, I started to build a name for myself as a volleyball player. I looked forward to joining a new team and playing against tougher competition. I looked forward to learning with such a highly regarded coach.
Even as a sophomore playing on the varsity team, I was determined to make an impact and show Coach Bell that I could be one of her best players, but things didn’t get off to a great start. I ended up having to dig myself out of a hole.9
I found that whatever sport I played, at every level, what my parents taught me about working hard, treating people well, and earning their respect was the best way to be part of a team and be a good teammate. Since I knew my dad would attend practices and games and sometimes be vocal from the stands, I didn’t want the fact that he was famous to bother any of the girls.10 I didn’t want any distractions.
My first year as a member of the Providence Panthers was a success. We won the All-Conference and NCHSAA 4A State Championships. This was a tremendous way to set the tone for my junior year, which, for a high school athlete, was so important from a college recruitment point of view.
My family continued the great tradition of going to WWE shows with my dad. When WWE was in Charlotte, we went to the arena early because my brother David performed in matches that were not televised. He was training in OVW, which was WWE’s development system. Very often, wrestlers who performed in matches before televised events like Raw and SmackDown were trying out with WWE.
* * *
The year 2003 will always be memorable. My mom told us that we were starting the New Year by traveling to Hawaii with my dad for his WWE shows. We were going as a family, and my boyfriend at the time was allowed to come with us.
I can still remember Honolulu. Our family ate dinner at an amazing seafood restaurant. There was a luau and gorgeous Polynesian women in handmade skirts with leis around their necks. We had leis around our necks too, and we tried to dance with the dancers. Looking over the cliff on the north shore side of the island was breathtaking. It was a kaleidoscope of colors, like something out of a dream. We sipped our drinks out of coconuts and took family photos together with the sunset as our backdrop.
I remember taking our seats at the arena later that night. Howard Finkel’s iconic voice wished everyone a happy new year. The crowd chanted, “We want tables!” during the Dudley Boyz’ match. Shawn Michaels was there, and my dad introduced his team of Batista and Triple H. They were in the main event against Rob Van Dam and Kane. At the time, my dad was in a new group called Evolution, with Triple H, Batista, and Randy Orton. In a way, it paid tribute to the Four Horsemen. I thought it was cool, and it was one of Reider’s favorite WWE segments. He knew the similarities and differences between the Horsemen and Evolution. I just knew I wanted to see my dad perform in front of the live crowd.
Even though he was a villain, the crowd showed him such admiration. Other individuals were very popular for a certain period of time or in different personas in different companies. Some left sports entertainment for Hollywood and came back. I remember returning to that building the next night, and my dad received the same ovation from the audience. It was then I realized that my father epitomized wrestling. It’s not just something said on TV; his is “the man” in the ring and in life. At home, he was our best friend.
In the beginning of my junior year, I saw additional proof that my decision to transfer to Providence paid off. I was no longer considered the new kid on the block; I was known as a leader on the team. After two years of playing varsity and two years playing on Charlotte Elite, I felt more confident than ever on the court. I started to own the game; I could anticipate the other teams’ moves before they happened. I was able to understand defensive formations and direct my teammates by saying things like “Go line” or “Go cross-court” during games. I was selected to the 2002 and 2003 Charlotte Observer All-City Team and became a three-time All-Southwestern 4A Conference selection.11
I started to be recruited by NCAA Division I programs for volleyball.
Over the next few months, I received more than thirty letters from schools across the United States. My parents and I made trips to more than a dozen colleges and universities, meeting with coaches, going on campus tours, and meeting members of the women’s volleyball teams.
My first official visit was with Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) powerhouse Wake Forest. Wake was close to home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school had an excellent volleyball program and an academically prestigious reputation. I can still picture walking through the beautiful campus with my parents. I felt a bit self-conscious because I was getting that familiar look from people we passed because they recognized my dad. Future NBA star Chris Paul mentioned in an interview once that he remembered seeing my dad during our tour of the school. As I walked around the campus and through different buildings, I could see myself there. I spent the night with one of the girls on the volleyball team and two of the field hockey players. I had a good time, and I liked the coaching staff. But there was one issue—they wanted me on the team solely for defense. I liked playing front row and wanted to continue playing that position.
The next trip was to a school my parents didn’t think I was serious about attending: Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Boone is a town in the Blue Ridge Mountains about two hours northwest of Charlotte. We took a tour of the campus on a Friday morning and met the head coach that afternoon. I was a homebody growing up. Looking at schools, even if they were in North Carolina, where I’d have to live on campus, felt like a big step. This wasn’t a long weekend with one of my sports teams or a week away from home at a camp—this was living somewhere else and “visiting” home.
After touring the athletics facilities with the head coach, he took us into the locker room. And that’s when I saw it—my number six on an Appalachian State jersey hanging in a locker. I felt like a draft pick who signed with a professional sports team and put her jersey on at a press conference. To think, three years earlier, I was getting my legs under me learning the game of volleyball. Now, I wore the uniform colors of an NCAA Division I volleyball program. The coach said he wanted me to play the position of outside hitter. I felt that this was starting to come together, but I still needed to meet the girls on the team and spend the weekend there.
I said goodbye to my parents and met the girls on the team. That night, I attended my first college party. The football team knew how to host a party. It was phenomenal. I felt like I connected with the girls on the team and almost forgot that I was away from home. Within two hours, I decided that this was where I was going to school and this was where I wanted to play volleyball.
No one expected me to pick Appalachian State, or as some called it, “Happy Appy.” It was an odd choice. It was a Division I program, but the school and the area were laid-back. People roped in their yards. There was one shopping mall and a small strip of local shops and restaurants. I was going to be a big fish in a little pond—the exact opposite of the schools I wanted to attend, especially for volleyball. In the end, I didn’t care if no one saw me going there or what they thought of the school as my choice. I wanted to attend the school and play volleyball there because I left with a great feeling, and I was
being recruited to play the position I wanted to play.
My parents picked me up on Sunday around lunchtime. I signed my commitment letter when I got home, and my dad faxed it to the coach from his office in our house. Sometimes you find the right thing when you least expect it.
Five months later, I was back on an airplane with my parents.12 This time it was just me. WWE had events in Dublin, Ireland, and Manchester and Birmingham, England. It felt like an eternity since the last time I was on the road with my dad for a WWE tour. My volleyball schedule intensified with each year of high school, and like many teenagers, I felt that my social calendar was very precious. My parents wanted to take me on a trip for selecting a college and for being recruited by a Division I volleyball program. I knew this was going to be a wonderful experience.
My first night at the arena in Dublin was my first real time being in a WWE locker room. I met Fit Finlay’s wife, Mel, and she showed us around. I turned a corner and bumped into Stacy Keibler. I gave her a hug right away. I filled her in on everything going on in my life since we last saw each other. Stacy and my brother David dated when they worked together in WCW. I saw WWE Divas Lita, Trish, and Victoria getting ready for the show. They looked so glamorous sitting in their chairs getting their makeup and hair done. I was mystified standing there but did my best to look natural.
After the show that night, my parents let me “go out with the kids.” I was with Stacey, Randy Orton, Victoria, Hurricane Helms, and Torrie Wilson. Since I was in Europe, I was legally allowed to enjoy drinks with them. They watched over me like I was their little sister, which was unfortunate for me because, in high school, I had a crush on Randy. I hoped, as a high school girl would, that he’d see me in another way, not as his little sister. What high school girl wouldn’t? That didn’t happen.
I met my parents back at the hotel bar.
The group showed them that I made it back in one piece. Since I was having fun—but not too much fun—I was allowed to have a couple of drinks with my mom and dad. We had a great time, and I looked forward to seeing Manchester.
My mom couldn’t wait to take me exploring through England. We went shopping and had lunch at amazing cafés. At night, we’d go to the WWE show and have dinner afterward with my dad. My mom told me stories about what it was like traveling with him when he was NWA World Champion, before Reider and I were born.
We extended our trip a few extra days and finished in London at the Conrad. I had my own room that overlooked the water. I remember putting on my personalized white robe and meeting my mom in the spa. We got massages and then went shopping with my dad. He bought my mom and me matching Fendi purses, and we took pictures with Beefeater guards. After the three of us went to dinner, we went to the hotel bar and proceeded to call my friend Brittany’s cell phone. We filled her voice mail with funny messages from across the pond. Oh, what a night!
I loved spending time with my parents, and I couldn’t help but think about how exciting things were going to be for my senior year in high school and all the fun we’d have as a family when I was in college.
The overseas tours helped me to understand the enormity of WWE productions. The number of trucks, backstage crew, pyrotechnic teams, lighting crews, catering professionals, medical staff, the roster of Superstars … to see the shows in Dublin two nights in a row and then to experience the shows immediately following in Manchester and Birmingham with the same grandeur was all incredible.
Heading into my senior year, I was getting ready to be the captain of the Providence volleyball team. It was an extraordinary honor. I took my leadership responsibilities seriously. If the team did well, I felt like I contributed to a job well done. If the team didn’t play well, I held myself responsible. Being the captain of a team is a huge responsibility. When you’re the captain of a team that’s expected to win the championship every year, you feel a certain kind of pressure. I wanted that challenge.
My training with Jeff George continued. The gym in our home went from something Reider and my dad used to a place where I could be found every day—sometimes twice a day—to make sure my workouts pushed me to the level needed to be as an athlete and a captain. The stair-climber was a machine I saw my dad use all my life. It was the first thing I headed for when I stepped through the door.
It was an amazing season. For the third year in a row, our team reached the state finals. For the second time, we won the NCHSAA 4A State Championship. It was a fantastic way to end my volleyball career with my teammates and Coach Bell at Providence High School. Before I could think about the rest of my senior year, the coach told me there was one more thing I needed to do: receive my award for player of the year. Senior year at Providence was one of the most special of my life. I was really looking forward to going to Appalachian State the next year, but I wanted to make sure I enjoyed everything in between.
Just as my family was thrilled to hear the PHS crowd cheer for me at one of my volleyball games, we all felt a sense of pride when the Charlotte crowd roared for my dad, even if at times he was supposed to be a “bad guy.” One Raw from Charlotte stands out.
It was December of 2004. My dad was performing toward the end of the show. He was in Triple H and Batista’s corner in a tag team match against Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho. It was always exciting seeing Dad work with people we knew.
The main event that night was Lita versus Trish Stratus for the WWE Women’s Championship. I overheard people sitting near us asking why that match was going to be the main event. Sometimes when I saw Lita and Trish perform, it was in “Bra and Panties” matches, where the first woman to be stripped down lost the match. Reider always had a smirk on his face when this type of match was on, like he was seeing something he was not supposed to see. The bell rang. The way Lita and Trish locked up with each other to start the match—ending up on the arena floor—showed everyone that this was a different story.
These women put it all on the line. There were high-flying moves, exciting back-and-forth exchanges of offense, and different times when it seemed like the match was over. I was worried about Lita after she took a dive out of the ring and landed on her neck. Trish enjoyed breaking the rules, especially when she showed that her protective face mask was not to prevent an injury but to be used as a weapon. It was then that I wondered if I performed in the ring, would I be a “good guy” or a “bad guy”? I was my dad’s biggest fan, but I watched matches like everyone else. I didn’t know all the things that went into the performance aspect of sports entertainment.
In the end, Lita won with her signature flip from the top rope—the moonsault. When I saw her execute that move, I said to myself, Hey, I can do that too, but not with the type of sex appeal that Lita had and not in front of thousands of screaming fans. The people in our section who questioned why women were in the main event before the bell even rang turned out to be some of their loudest supporters. It was an incredible performance by both women.
That week, my dad surprised me with an early Christmas present. He said there was something he forgot to mention about the WWE February tour—that I was going with him to Hawaii, Japan, and Alaska! He wanted to take me on the road because, one, I always had so much fun, and two, it would be the last time I would be able to travel like this before I went to college. This trip was coming at the best time. By junior year, I was looking ahead to college. My closest friends were away. They’d come home, and I felt like I was floating between them, kids at school, and the girls on my teams.13
Except when I was with my family and playing volleyball, I never felt like I truly belonged. I never said in my heart, “This is where I should be.”
Other girls were athletic and worked out. I didn’t feel like the beauty queen. I wasn’t going after school for dress fittings for a cotillion or to weekly manicure and pedicure appointments. I trained with Jeff George three times a week and ran forty-yard wind sprints with a parachute tied to my back, and I loved it!
I felt conflicted driving to school every day. I was
torn between a world of high society, the status of the “cool crowd,” and the fact that I felt more comfortable in the gym, with my family, and with people who were older than I was. I liked being around kids who didn’t care what anyone else thought about them. I admired that. They knew who they were. I wished I did.
This trip was an unforgettable way to spend my final year of high school. I couldn’t have scripted anything more amazing.
I felt so fortunate touring Europe with my parents, meeting so many interesting people, and seeing so many incredible things. To know that I’d be traveling in the other direction was surreal—and that this trip would be just my dad and me! Not everyone was able to bring their families on tour with them. I also cherished this time I spent with him, because my other three siblings did not have this opportunity. Most kids went on a trip here and there, maybe annually, but I was able to travel the world. I loved spending time with my parents. My dad and I became closer each day. This trip would be even better. I couldn’t wait to pack my bags.
11
WHERE DO I GO NOW?
Suddenly, I felt empty.
May 2005
I didn’t realize it at the time, but seeing the top of Mt. Fuji on our way from the airport to our hotel in Japan was a sign. This WWE tour was going to be incredible. I immediately fell in love with Japanese culture: the people, the food, and the pride they took in everything they did. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. To be there with my dad was truly a gift.
Once we checked into our hotel, he insisted that we go to a Korean BBQ restaurant. I had no idea what that was, but once we were there, I didn’t want to leave. Any time we were at the traditional Japanese restaurants, I couldn’t help but think of Reider, how he and I loved having miso soup before our main course at Nakato in Charlotte. We always sipped the soup from the wrong end of the big white spoons—though I did not do that on this trip. In Japan, miso was served with breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you wanted it. How could you turn that down?