Martel was first introduced to professional wrestling as a child, when her mother took her and her sister to shows in Mississippi.[3] In 1974, Martel approached Grizzly Smith for advice on becoming a wrestler, but he questioned her conviction and told her to come back to him in five years when she was an adult.[2] She eventually married her second husband and gave birth to a son named Jared, but she soon divorced her husband.[3][1] During this time, she again became interested in becoming a professional wrestler and sought training from "Mr. Personality" Butch Moore in Memphis, Tennessee.[1] She started wrestling as Sherri Martine, but decided she needed more training.[3] She continued to train at The Fabulous Moolah's school, where Moolah changed her name to Sherri Martel and sent her to wrestle in Japan in 1981.[3] Moolah claims that Martel frequented night clubs and liked to party, which resulted in Moolah kicking her out of the school.[3]