Point grad set for Saturday’s Sternwheel Slamboree

By Andy Layton

For Mason County Extra Edition

POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — If you knew him in high school, you are not surprised.

Troy Parker – known to those here in Point Pleasant as Trévon Franklin – has been making quite a name for himself on the independent professional wrestling scene for the past year. He currently holds the PowerSlam Pro Grand Championship and the New South Wrestling Kentucky Heavyweight Championship in two promotions. He is fighting for another championship this weekend at the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta.

Parker – who graduated from Point Pleasant High School in 2019 – was a mainstay on the gridiron and in the shotput ring. He was a three-year starter in football at guard and was named Second Team All-State his senior season. He also threw the shotput and was All-State in that event as well. Academically, he was a member of Point Pleasant Live and a member of that program for two years.

“Thankfully, athletics and entertainment have always been huge parts of my life,” Parker said. “I played sports, primarily football, from the age of five to seventeen. Being in the broadcast program helped me to be able to do a promo on the spot and I loved doing commentary for games. The skills I gained earlier help my wrestling career now.”

While a member of the football program, it was not uncommon to see him wearing a championship title for different reasons. He also had an uncanny ability to talk about anything spontaneously – from his teammates to his classmates to anything else. His love of professional wrestling was apparent even back then and it was there that the dream started.

“I knew from a young age that wrestling was something I always wanted to do,” he said. “I just kind of kept it close to my chest for fear of people not keen on the idea and making fun of it. Being the entertainer in the room was the role I always found myself in.”

To achieve that dream, first, you must learn how to handle yourself inside the ring and to learn that – he discovered The PowerSlam Academy in South Point, Ohio.

“Thankfully, I have been pretty good at the athletic side of things,” he said. “As far as the mechanics are concerned, I have picked them up quickly. I took a two-year break from all athletics, weightlifting included. It was harder for me to get back to being the athlete that I knew I could be.”

While training to be inside the ring to prevent injury to yourself or others is required, you must also discover who your persona will be. Sometimes it may be another version of yourself and sometimes it may be the exact opposite.

So, with that said, we know Trévon Franklin. Who is Troy Parker?

“Troy Parker is the same kid that was running around the hallways and always being the one to bring the energy,” he explained. “Being in pro wrestling – sometimes he’s a jerk and sometimes he’s the good guy. The only difference is that Troy Parker has more passion for professional wrestling than Trévon Franklin had for anything else.”

After wrestling in different promotions in the area and states like Tennessee, Maryland, and New Jersey – Parker has one of his biggest matches this weekend at the Sternwheel Slamboree at the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta. He will be fighting Josh Williams for the Regatta Championship in one of the more significant matches on the card.

The event is set for this Saturday, July 1, at 3 p.m. at City Center at the Slack Plaza. Parker always welcomes support from his Point Pleasant community.

“When people support me, my motivation goes up. I get excited for people to see what I have been up to for the last few years. I directly feed off the energy of the crowd. When people know me personally, it’s a different kind of energy altogether. I always welcome when people want to watch so if you find yourself in Charleston this weekend, I’d love to see and hear from you.”

There is a Facebook page that you can follow to keep up with all his future matches. All you must do is search for “Troy Parker” and you will find all his information. You can also support him by going to the Pro Wrestling Tees website and searching for Troy Parker where you will find some Red and Black along with his football number (77) on a t-shirt.

© 2023, Mason County Extra Edition, all rights reserved.

Andy Layton is an avid sports fan who loves all things about Mason County. He is a teacher at Point Pleasant Junior/Senior High School and is the advisor for Point Pleasant Live.

(Editor’s Note on accessibility: Mason County Extra Edition attempts to use accessible fonts and alternative text for photographs, to be inclusive of all readers.)