Carroll County High School students Ethan Foster and Alex Welch don’t see wrestling as just entertainment, it’s a lifelong passion that’s now turning into a hands-on career opportunity. The two seniors are channeling their love for the sport into an internship with the Professional Wrestling Alliance (PWA), a local wrestling company based in Carrollton.
Alex and Ethan decided to use their marketing skills in their Project-Based Learning class to begin promoting the Professional Wrestling Alliance (PWA). Alex is the one who discovered the company and, after putting their heads together, the two boys came up with a plan.
“We noticed it was a company struggling to get noticed in that area. Their advertisements were good but not reaching the community very well. We knew we could, because we both took a marketing class, we could go in with our skills and benefit them,” Ethan said.
What started as a marketing assignment quickly evolved into something much bigger. The two students meet twice a week with PWA owner Muniak and are now involved in nearly every aspect of PWA’s operations. He has given them a front-row seat to the business side of professional wrestling and made this project fun for the CCHS seniors.
“It has been a ride doing this. It’s so much fun. It’s a great thing and there’s great people in it,” Ethan said.
Their enthusiasm has made an impact. Since Ethan and Alex began working with PWA, the company’s Facebook following has grown by 40%. One of their biggest successes was helping promote Chaos in Carrollton II, the official PWA show during the Carroll County Tobacco Festival, which drew hundreds of fans.
“It was beautiful,” Ethan said. “It was a great show, great wrestling, great crowd. It was amazing.”
PWA owner, Ryan Muniak, said, “It's been a tremendous blessing to have Ethan and Alex come help with the Professional Wrestling Alliance. As a company, we love being able to instill knowledge and shape young minds for future greatness.”
The experience has been a dream come true for Alex, who helped design the event flyers and took photos at the show. He dreams of one day becoming a wrestler.
“What I like about this project is how long I’ve loved wrestling. Since a young age, like 3 years old, my brothers and I have been into wrestling. I always wanted to get into the wrestling business,” Alex said.
Alex’s creative designs and Ethan’s marketing drive have proven to be a powerful tag team. Together, they’re helping shape the image of the PWA while learning professional skills in design, communication, and event planning.
“I have a creative eye. I saw this was a great opportunity for me to do something I love and enjoy and show off my skills,” Ethan added.
Currently, PWA hosts affordable family-friendly events every six weeks, featuring a mix of local and regional wrestlers from around Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. Their next show is Nov. 14, which is a fundraiser for the Epilepsy Foundation in honor of one of the organization’s referees. Looking ahead, Ethan and Alex are hoping to bring PWA to Carroll County High School in the spring for a family-friendly fundraiser supporting the school’s food pantry.
Both students see this internship as a stepping stone toward their future. “If I’m going to be a wrestler, I’ll probably have to get to work there and work around the area,” Alex said, noting that he plans to get his wrestling license when he turns 18 in March.
The opportunity feels almost destined for Ethan. “The stars aligned perfectly. There was no better thing for me to do,” he said.
Ethan and Alex have learned that when passion meets opportunity the results can be phenomenal.