Eastern Townships Wrestling Association celebrates its 30th anniversary
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The Eastern Townships Wrestling Association (ETWA) celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Co-organizers D.J. Myers and his brother Douglas Myers sat down with The Record to talk about the past, present, and future of the ETWA and all things pro wrestling.
“Our father [Donald Myers] is the [ETWA’s] founder,” began Douglas. The ETWA was created in the early 90s. Douglas took over the reins in 2018. Before founding the ETWA, Donald was part of another federation, D.J. said. Douglas is the current key component to all the organization’s day-to-day administration, D.J. added. But they work as a team. D.J. runs things on the day of the show, Douglas insisted.
Seeing their father’s participation in the local wrestling scene is what got them into pro wrestling early on, D.J. said. He remembers his father took a short break from wrestling, “because of drama, which happens in wrestling.” The next thing he remembers, Clifford Cormier (alias ‘The Penguin’), a notable local pro wrestler based in Vermont, arrived one day at their house to persuade his father to, “get back into the loop.”
Donald watched a lot of televised pro wrestling with his sons. “I had all the toys,” D.J. said. Next thing he knew, he was watching his father wrestle in real life along with hundreds of other fans. Watching his father, “get his,” in the wrestling ring made a big impression on D.J. “He [his father] never really explained [how pro wrestling works],” D.J. explained. “I don’t remember a time without [pro wrestling in my life],” Douglas said. He doesn’t remember the first time he got into a wrestling ring; he was so young.
The ETWA is, “just a bunch of guys getting together… until someone tells us we’re doing it wrong,” D.J. said. It was founded partly (by Donald) to honour Donald’s late brother, Douglas said, who passed away of multiple sclerosis. The first show Donald did was at the Mackay Center on the property of Camp Massawippi in Ayer’ Cliff, D.J. said. Donald’s brother went to the camp because he was in a wheelchair, D.J. continued. “[Our mission] is to give back,” Douglas added.
