Pro Wrestling Kids Style

"Unlike today's 'backyard wrestling' which seems to be a common staple, this is something completely different: the first-ever kids pro wrestling league."
Jim Spears
Voice Of Wrestling

"This was more than just a bunch of kids getting inside the ring, there was an educational aspect to what they were doing as well."
Howard Balzer
ESPN Radio

"This book not only goes into the mind of a wrestling genius in Shawn Crossen, but it shows how far a group of friends are willing to go to make a dream come true."
Drew Carrig
amazon.com

"His story has sparked interest from many of today's young wrestling fans."
Jason Follett
SLAM Wrestling

"Wow. It's just an amazing story. It really is incredible to learn what Shawn accomplished at such an early age."
Steve Bortstein
Fox Sports Net

"There is a lot of heart put into the book... You have to admire the ingenuity of this young kid who was sending out tapes to countless cable companies in order to get time slots in different markets..."
Mike Johnson
PWInsider

"If you ever had fun wrestling growing up, no matter on what level, this book will bring back some fond memories."
Greg Tingle
Australian Sports Entertainment

"...he took kids wrestling into the wrestling ring in a cable tv show in the mid-80's, predating the emergence of backyard wrestling leagues."
Wade Keller
Pro Wrestling Torch

In 1984, a new wrestling league was created on a cable television channel in Minnesota. "The Kids Pro Wrestling Show" started out as fun and games, but was soon seen in the living rooms of thousands across the country via cable television, and the National Wrestling Federation (NWF) was born.

For five years, the NWF was managed and promoted by a young and talented kid named Shawn Crossen, otherwise known as "Crusher Crossen" in the ring. In 1984, Shawn was just 14 years old, but by 1986, he was promoting live wrestling venues at local armory halls in front of hundreds of paid spectators and nationwide cable audiences.

But going from bed mattresses in a basement to live public cards in a professional wrestling ring did not come easy. The evolution took years to accomplish with many obstacles along the way. From cable tv suspensions to insurance problems, there were always a host of problems to deal with. Yet somehow, Shawn managed to make it all work. And all the while, the NWF had positive community support with several newspaper articles written about it—this long before the existence of the backyard-type youth wrestling leagues now so commonly seen today.

But unlike the backyard style wrestling leagues of today’s time, the NWF was a much different venture. Similar to the major leagues of professional wrestling, the NWF came across very professional looking and organized. This in turn would explain the reasons why the league had such great success.

NWF Wrestling was a popular attraction to kids and adults alike and seemed like it would last forever. So what ever happened to this incredible league? Now, for the first time in nearly 20 years, Shawn "Crusher" Crossen has come forth with this remarkable story that tells the entire sequence of events, from the birth of it’s creation, to the final bell.

It's a story of dedication and determination, of friendships and betrayals, and of successes and failures. But ultimately, it's a story of making your dreams come true, no matter on what level. Whether you’re a fan of wrestling or not, you will find yourself marveled at the abilities of this very talented 14-year-old and the pro wrestling league he created.

Now in it's second edition, "Pro Wrestling Kids' Style" is a very enjoyable read containing 160 pages with over 70 photos and illustrations to help document the story. The second edition is now manufactured by Thomson-Shore and comes in a high quality 6x9 hardcover edition featuring fully laminated front and back panels in full color.

In addition, when you order the book here from our NWF website, it comes personally autographed by the author himself, Shawn "Crusher" Crossen. As an added bonus, the book also contains a special DVD titled "The Anoka Armory Series", which contains a 24 minute documentary on the NWF and features recent interview footage with many former NWF particapents including the author Shawn "Crusher" Crossen.