Alberta Cree wrestler The Matriarch finds her peace inside the ring

A storage space in north Edmonton opens up into a Monster Pro Wrestling training facility, complete with a wrestling ring. 

It's where, on a hot summer day, 36-year-old wrestler Sage Morin, The Matriarch, grapples with her opponent as he manages to twist out of a headlock.

Wrestling has generally been a male-dominated sport, which is why The Matriarch often finds herself facing men. 

"Doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman. If you need to be taught a lesson, the Matriarch's the one to do it," Morin says.

During her warm-up, Morin's passion for wrestling is clear to see. 

She somersaults and rolls with her male teammates, at one point executing a perfect handstand — toes pointed to the ceiling — and rolling forward back to her feet.

"My goal is to just keep training as hard as I can, to be as best as I can, and to just really bring my game up another level," Morin said in an interview. 

Morin began her wrestling career earlier this year, in April, and started competing just one month later. 

During Monster Pro Wrestling tours to smaller communities across Alberta and British Columbia, she quickly became a fan favourite.

"It's something that I've really stepped into and I've really enjoyed it," she said.

Morin was introduced to Monster Pro after her two-year-old son, Geo Mounsef, was killed by an SUV on a south Edmonton restaurant patio in 2013.

The Edmonton-based organization was the first of many to hold a community event for Morin and her family.

At that event, Monster Pro gave Morin a belt with Geo's name on it and when she held it up, the crowd chanted his name.

"The honour always goes to Geo, first and foremost, and the strength always comes from that," she said. 

Watch The Matriarch in action:

Morin's coach says