Calucated Risk (WCW Magazine #70)
by Jennifer Williams

The decision to leave an accounting firm for the glitz and glamour of sports
entertainment has paid off for Vanessa Sanchez, aka. Tygress

   At the age of 2, Vanessa Sanchez unknowingly began taking baby steps a
journey that would lead her to a successful career in sports entertainment.
"My mother took me to dance classes when I was 2. At that age, I couldn't
express much of an interest in dancing, but she thought it would be good
for me," she says. "Ironically, when I was 16, I wanted to stop dancing, but
my mother wouldn't let me. I guess she saw the talent and potential that I
had."

   Sanchez's dancing ability eventually landed her a job with WCW, where
fans know her as Tygress, the sexy, cat-like former Nitro Girl and current
companion of the Filthy Animals. Sanchez's path to WCW was not without its
share of detours, however.

   Growing up on Long Island, New York, the Hispanic beauty not only was the
captain of her high school cheerleading team and a dance instructor at her
sister's studio, but she also found the time to learn accounting by helping
her mother with the bookkeeping at the family's TV/VCR rental business.

   After graduating fjrom high school, Sanchez moved to Atlanta and attended
Oglethorpe University,where she majored in accounting. "Accounting seemed
easy for me to pick up," she explains. "I also made the conscious decision
to make money once I got out of school. I didn"t want to be in school forever
and I wanted to find a job quickly after college and have stable income.
Accounting was the answer."

   After graduating from Oglethorpe, Sanchez was hired by Deloitte and
Touche, one of the leading accounting, tax and financial consulting firms in
the nation. During her four years with Deloitte and Touche, Sanchez took
dancing and acting classes in her free time. "I didn't have the intention of
dancing professionally, I just wanted to do what I loved," she says.

   Eventually, her love of entertaining pushed her to pursue her dream.
"Deloitte and Touche was really cool because they allowed me to take a leave
of absence every year so I could pursue the arts." During her last leave of
absence, Sanchez auditioned for the Nitro Girls and began working for WCW.
"I had to make a gradual transition because I had established a level of
income and a style of living, so I couldn't just quit cold turkey," she says.

   Sanchez's family was skeptical about her leaving the stable world of
accounting to pursue a career as a dancer. "My mother was nervous and thought
I made the wrong decision," Sanchez says. "My parents were very concerned.
They asked questions to make sure I thought through everything that I was
going to do. Once they saw that I thought it out, they were supportive."

   After dancing with the Nitro Girls for two years, Sanchez expressed her
interest in acting to WCW creative director Vince Russo in November 1999.
Sanchez, who had starred in the independent film "Severed" and appeared in
commercials, was given the role of the Filthy Animals' valet and Rey Mysterio
Jr.'s girlfriend.

   Sanchez was elated with her new role. She knew she would be more active
in the storylines, but becoming a valet included learning to wrestle. "When
Vince told me that I'd leave to train and go to the Power Plant, I was fine
with it. But to be honest, the first two months of training were hell," she
says. "You're learning and you don't know what you're doing, so you're
constantly hurting yourself. The first month was very difficult. I had to go
to the chiropractor everyday, get massages and take soothing baths. But now
it's fine and I want to go out and do more things."

   Sanchez says there aren't many similarities between her and her character.
"Other than the fact that we're both Puerto Rican, my chacater and I are like
night and day," she says. "I'm not loud; I'm not obnoxious; I don't have a
violent temper; and I never had a fight in my life." Sanchez gives several
people credit for helping develop her character. "A friend came up with the
name Tygress," she says. "He told me to put tiger and princess together.

   "Vince and the Filthy Animals also helped me. The first time I was
scheduled to get on the mic, I was going to use my normal voice. Vince asked
if I could do a Spanish accent. He wanted a Rosie Perez-type character from
the Bronx."

   While Sanchez enjoys playing Tygress, she has bigger plans for her acting
career. "Performing is my passion," she says. "Whether it's acting, dancing,
singing or wrestling, I love to use what God gave me and share it with people
who appreciate it. But for now, I want to stay with wrestling, develop my
character more and get into acting. In five years, I'd like to be on the big
screen. We did 'Ready to Rumble,' and the Nitro Girls had littie parts in the
movie. I really enjoyed it."

   Sanchez's ambitions in show business go beyond acting. "Often, I look at
a pre-taped segment here or a movie and I think, 'If I were the director, I
would have done it this way.' I could possibly direct or do behind-the-scenes
work, but it would be down the line," she says.

   Although Sanchez is far removed from her days as an accountant, her
training in that field has been useful "My background in accounting has
helped me to save money, invest in an IRA and open up a few money market
accounts," she says. "It has definiteitiy helped me to manage inoney. The
experience has also helped me become stable as a peison, I fear what it
would have been like if I hadn't gone to school and just gone straight from
high school into this business. This business is crazy. You have to be very
grounded in order to be successful and stay healthy and not get caught up
in the hype. Coming from the conservative world of accounting to the world
of wrestling really made me a grounded person."