LadySports ::: Kayla

"I remember I was extremely nervous for my first match. It was against Freddy 'Discoman' DiValle in a Lumberjack Match. I was so worried about how the match would turn out and if I was going to forget and mess up something. Fortunately, I was surprised I didn't mess up, and won the match! All of the guys from the locker room were congratulating me afterwards, so it felt all that much better being praised by my peers...such an unforgettable moment!"

So says Kayla Sparks. Whereas the fondest recent memories of most 16 year old girls tend to be about concerts and school dances and dates, the youngster from Port Richey, Florida is making her memories in the squared circle, a place she has called home for more than two years now, which most certainly makes her one of the youngest pro's in the sport today.

Long before she ever joined the ranks, however, she was a dyed in the wool fan. "Wrestling has always intrigued and captivated me my entire life. As a little kid watching it on television, I would sit for hours on end mesmerized by the wrestlers I saw every week Somewhere down the line, I found it in my heart that this was something that I really needed to do. I wanted to give back to the business that I have desperately followed over the years. The amount of dedication and heart that these wrestlers take in their daily lives to entertain is truly amazing, and that's what I love so much about it."

So great was that love and intrigue, Kayla couldn't wait to pursue her dream. And so, a mere 13 year old, she threw herself body and soul into the grueling regimen of becoming a professional wrestler, seeking out such established pro's as Chip Stetson, TNT and Shockwave to educate her in the intricacies of the ring wars. If her instructors were incredulous about the possibility of so young a girl making it in so unforgiving a business, they couldn't deny that she had the commitment and the drive of any adult. And after that first match, she silenced any critics who predicted that she wouldn't last.

And not only has she lasted...she's thrived! Working for a number of organizations in the Northeastern United States, she has carved a niche for herself as one of most celebrated youngsters...female or male...in the region. And she's also been rewarded for her hard work with the World of Hurt Wrestling Ladies Championship.

After two very demanding years, the sport has lost none of its luster in Kayla's eyes. Indeed, asked what keeps attracting her to wrestling, she doesn't hesitate to answer with, "Everything. From the fans, the locker room, the business itself, I look at all of the different sides of it. I've grown more respectful towards the business now that I'm living it, and I'm enjoying every minute of it!

That respect is returned, both from her fellow workers as well as from the fans. Whenever Kayla hits the ring, it's to a loud and loving pop from the crowd. "The fans seem to dig me, which is really cool. As long as I'm receiving a reaction, I know I am satisfied because I'm doing my job, and that's to entertain the fans!"

And she can also count on support on the homefront. "My family thinks it's totally cool that I'm actually going after my dreams as a pro wrestler! That's because they know I could take them on and beat them in a fight anyway!" she adds with a mischievous laugh.

But all of the support and all of the championship titles in the world can't help much when the body suffers an injury. Luckily, Kayla's list of ailments has been remarkably short. "I've never seriously injured myself, but a year ago I sprained a ligament in my left knee during training and I was out for three months. So, that wasn't a very fun time in my life."

At that nadir, did she ever entertain the thought of giving up the ring, and going back to the world of an ordinary high school girl? "Hell no!" she snaps emphatically. "There might have been a few situations where I thought about it, but never once did I seriously consider quitting. Wrestling is my life, how can I quit on that?" she asks. And then she answers her own question: "I can't."

Of course, that's not to suggest she doesn't pursue the typical teen girl things in her spare time. But between working and training, spare time can be a rare commodity. And it's indicative of her devotion to the sport that even in her 'off hours,' she's still seeking to better herself as a wrestler. "When I'm away from the ring, I'm involved with wrestling by watching tapes, reading books, and so on. My hobbies are pretty much wrestling and...wrestling!" she says with a giggle. Amazingly, however, she does have a few non-wrestling pursuits. She doesn't "really watch much TV...unless it's wrestling." But she does enjoy drawing, seeing movies, and listening to music. "Musically, I'm open ears. I basically listen to everything, from oldies to alternative to punk, from No Doubt, Nirvana and Yellowcard to Evanescence, Ashlee Simpson and TLC. And I'll admit it...I'm a huge Spice Girls fan!"

Still, Spice Girls aside, pro wrestling is rarely far from the 5'6", brown eyed brunette's thoughts. She thinks about her past matches as well as her future battles. One fight, and one opponent in particular, stick out in her mind: "I would definitely say the best match I've had was against Miss DeVille, the one we had last April at WOHW's WrestleFest. You could tell we really put our hearts into it and gave it our all, that's what I liked so much about that match. DeVille is such an awesome person, inside and outside of the ring, and I love her to death! And I personally cannot wait until September the 3rd, because Miss DeVille and I will have another match for the WOHW Women's Title. I believe we can take what we did at WrestleFest and make it that much better! Who knows what will happen," she says with a knowing wink.

Yet for all of her love of wrestling, she knows that the sport is far from perfect. Indeed, she dislikes the T&A eye candy which is so prevalent in the business, but she definitely sees a light at the end of the tunnel. "I think over the past few years in general, women have taken it to a whole new level. I've noticed that more women nowadays are stepping up, as opposed to just a few years ago when 'women's wrestling' was usually just girls at ringside slapping and catfighting. I'm really happy to see now that some women are focusing more to put on a great match and not just be used for T&A. I know in other countries like Japan and Mexico, women really do take it as seriously as the men do. More power to them!"

Like many wrestlers, she's annoyed by locker room pettiness, and she'd like nothing more than to change "the politics and backstage drama that comes along with the business. It's really aggravating because sometimes it takes the fun out of wrestling. But it comes with the territory. I try to avoid it as much as possible. You just learn to ignore it or deal with it."

Not that she would have the time to engage in politics and drama even if she wanted to, so hectic is her schedule. Besides wrestling steadily, she hits the gym regularly where, "we do a lot of cardio workouts, 'chaining,' work some short and simple to more advanced spots, and practice new moves. Also, we learn how to work a match with good ring psychology."

And all of that hard work is paying off in the ring, where Kayla is celebrated for her skills. "I strive to do more technical and high-flying maneuvers, but with a twist of my own style. Neckbreakers to crossbodies, you name it, I do it! I want to learn a lot more of the advanced aerial moves to add to my arsenal." Opponents have come to know her signature moves, the Shizmatic Tornado DDT and The Spark Plug Arm-Wrench Neckbreaker all too well!

Having proven herself as a professional with staying power, Kayla can now look seriously to the future. Short term, there's one wrestler in particular she'd very much like to work with: "Alexis Laree. I really admire her work and we seem to have similar styles. I believe I could really learn a lot from her!" And long term? "My goal in five years is to have worked in as many places as I can, and have tons more knowledge about the business than I do now. Most of all, I just want to enjoy this and push my career as much as I possibly can!"

Garbed in her customary pink and black, when Kayla Sparks hits the ring, fans know they're in for an exciting match, regardless of whether her opponent is female or male. Indeed, tipping the scales at a mere 120 lbs., she's gone toe to toe with men who easily double her weight...and she's beaten more than a few of them! Indeed, she currently embroiled in a feud with Camp Casanova, a stable headed by Kenny Casanova, who has brought in both women and men to drive Kayla from the sport. Luckily, she has an ally in Synnndy, another area wrestler, and together, "we can both kick Camp Casanova's arses!"

Asked if she had anything else she'd like to say to the fans, Kayla replied with, "Thanks so much to everyone who has ever supported me through thick and thin with this! Words cannot express how I feel now that I have the opportunity to finally fulfill my dream in wrestling. I honestly don't know where I would be without it in my life. Wrestling is such an escape for me. It has brought me to meet the most amazing people I have ever met in my life, and I couldn't be thankful enough! I love you all so freakin' much, and I wish all of you guys nothing but the bestest of luck! And to everyone who has ever told me I couldn't, or doubted I could ever make it...you know who you are...well, guess what? Your words mean nothing to me, except to make me work 100,000 times harder! After all, I live off of proving people wrong and making them eat their words. You won't change my mind no matter what."

When one thinks of Kayla, it's perhaps most wise to consider her personal mantra: "I'm living the dream, period."

Kayla's official site is at www.kayla24-7.com