Correctional Officer Uses His Experience As A Pro-wrestler To Mentor Youth

TALIA CLARKE SHOW US HOW HE’S TAKING PEOPLE BEYOND THEIR MISTAKES. 00;22;17 “AN INTIMIDATING PRESENCE IN THE RING.. PRO-WRESTLER, ACE ROMERO, SAYS, WITH HIS NEW ROLE AS A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER HERE AT LONG CREEK.. HE’S A PRETTY LAID BACK GUY.” 00;14;22 “OAK ROMERO.” JUSTIN ACE ROMERO HAS WORKED AT LONG CREEK FOR ABOUT A YEAR. 6;16 “COMING HERE WAS A LEARNING CURVE AT FIRST BUT INSTANTLY I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS JOB. I’VE WRESTLED IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THIS JOB IS THE COOLEST THINGS I’VE EVER DONE.” ACE ROMERO HAS BEEN A PRO-WRESTLER FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS.. HE’S ON THE INDEPENDENT CIRCUT, PREFORMING ALL OVER THE EAST COAST, INCLUDING IN MAINE. HIS SIGNATURE MOVES INCLUDE THE POUNCE AND PACKAGE PILE-DRIVER. A VIRAL VIDEO SHOWS HIM CHUCKING HIS OPPONENT INTO THE STANDS. ONE DAY, ROMERO SAYS THE KIDS WERE WATCHING HIM ON TV. 00;02;53 “IT WAS A COOL FEELING FOR THEM TO WATCH IT AND SEE IF THEY HAVE DREAMS WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO THEY CAN DO IT.” ROMERO SAYS WHEN IT COMES TO BEING A PRO-WRESTLER OR A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER.. YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO EITHER READ THE RING, OR READ THE ROOM. 00;08;01 “YOU GO IN THERE, AND YOU TRY TO GET A REACTION FROM THE KIDS AND IF THEY’RE HAVING A BAD DAY, YOU LEARN HOW TO PIVOT AND MAKE THEIR DAY BETTER, SAME THING IN A MATCH, IF YOU’RE HAVING A BAD MATCH OR YOU’RE NOT GETTING THE REACTION YOU WANT YOU HAVE TO PIVOT AND TRY TO CHANGE ON THE FLY. IT’S THE SAME THING HERE.” ROMERO SAYS HE’S ENJOYED BEING A MENTOR, TO THE KIDS.. ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT GROW UP WITH POSITIVE ROLE MODELS. 4;51 “THERE’S GOING TO BE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF LONG CREEK, EVENTUALLY.” 00;05;33 “I JUST HOPE

Correctional officer uses his experience as a pro-wrestler to mentor misguided youth

Justin “Ace” Romero has been a correctional officer at Long Creek Youth Development Center in Maine for about a year, but for the past 15 years, he’s been working as a pro wrestler.His ring name is Ace Romero. He’s on the independent circuit, performing all over the East Coast. Some of his signature moves include the pounce and the package piledriver.One day, Romero said the kids at Long Creek were watching him on TV.”It was a cool feeling for them to watch it and see if they have dreams, whatever they want to do, they can do it,” Romero said. “Coming here was a learning curve at first, but instantly, I fell in love with this job. I’ve wrestled in front of thousands and thousands of people all over the world, and this job is the coolest thing I’ve ever done.”Romero said he is able to incorporate skills he’s learned in the ring while working with the children. Those skills include knowing how to read the room.”You go in there, and you try to get a reaction from the kids, and if they’re having a bad day, you learn how to pivot and make their day better. Same thing in a match. If you’re having a bad match or you’re not getting the reaction you want, you have to pivot and try to change on the fly. It’s the same thing here,” Romero said. Romero said being a correctional officer at Long Creek is a great mentorship opportunity, especially for the kids who did not grow up with positive role models.”I just hope that when they leave here, they go on to do whatever they want to do in a positive way, and they learn from their mistakes,” Romero said. “We have kids that say, ‘Oh, I want to work here when I get older,’ that’s always pretty cool.”

Justin “Ace” Romero has been a correctional officer at Long Creek Youth Development Center in Maine for about a year, but for the past 15 years, he’s been working as a pro wrestler.

His ring name is Ace Romero. He’s on the independent circuit, performing all over the East Coast. Some of his signature moves include the pounce and the package piledriver.

One day, Romero said the kids at Long Creek were watching him on TV.

“It was a cool feeling for them to watch it and see if they have dreams, whatever they want to do, they can do it,” Romero said. “Coming here was a learning curve at first, but instantly, I fell in love with this job. I’ve wrestled in front of thousands and thousands of people all over the world, and this job is the coolest thing I’ve ever done.”

Romero said he is able to incorporate skills he’s learned in the ring while working with the children. Those skills include knowing how to read the room.

“You go in there, and you try to get a reaction from the kids, and if they’re having a bad day, you learn how to pivot and make their day better. Same thing in a match. If you’re having a bad match or you’re not getting the reaction you want, you have to pivot and try to change on the fly. It’s the same thing here,” Romero said.

Romero said being a correctional officer at Long Creek is a great mentorship opportunity, especially for the kids who did not grow up with positive role models.

“I just hope that when they leave here, they go on to do whatever they want to do in a positive way, and they learn from their mistakes,” Romero said. “We have kids that say, ‘Oh, I want to work here when I get older,’ that’s always pretty cool.”

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