Kelly Gower, better known simply as Cannonball in the wrestling ring, said he has been a fan of the sport for as long as he can remember.
"I've watched wrestling since I was about five, or six-years-old," said the popular grappler who is a member of the High Impact Wrestling stable. "I remember sitting in the basement acting out the moves I saw on the TV. I've been involved in wrestling from a young age."
Gower, who was born in Moose Jaw said it's the entertainment aspect of wrestling which had captivated him most.
"Wrestling appealed to me for the actual performance aspect. How could somebody take that? WOW! How did he do that?" he said.
"Like a painter paints or a musician plays music; it's gorilla theatre, in that you only have one chance to make it something different or spectacular or brutal or beautiful.
"Wrestling is an art form and a rush."
And when it comes to the art of wrestling, Gower, who will be on the card when HIW visits the Royal Canadian Legion in Yorkton Friday, said he learned from watching what others did.
"I learned my craft from many places. The main one would have been receiving training from Charley Hayes, Rex Roberts, Thrillyn Dylan and several others," he said, adding he continues to grow as a performer in the ring. "The nice thing is you never really completely learn it. That's what makes it interesting."
Gower said while a fan of wrestling since his youth, he became involved in the ring less than a decade ago.
"I came into HIW in July of 2004 with my good friend and current Central Canadian Champion Jumping Joe," he said. "Basically Joe had found these guys that wrestled out of Regina and they held training camps. So we went and the rest is victory, been there almost eight-years now."
With nearly a decade in the ring, what moment stands out for Gower.
He was quick to point to October 2007.
"Me and Joe won the HIW Tag Team Titles in front of our hometown crowd," he said. "It was special because my grandma was there to witness it. She passed away months after and I remember she was so excited when we won.
"That`s a good memory I`ll never forget."
Then there was the main event mach at a September show in 2009.
It was Cannonball versus Jumping Joe versus Principal Pound in a Steel Cage Match.
"It was special because me and Joe broke into wrestling together," said Gower. "And we had made it to the main event in a high profile match together.
"The crowd was hot and I gave the fans everything I had that night. One of my proudest moments."
From outside the ring Gower said wrestling is popular because it offers a chance to completely let go, and unwind.
"Well I think one of the nice things about wrestling is the ability to unwind and come unglued," he said. "A fan can say whatever they want to a wrestler and not have to worry about getting punched in the face. It's a comforting feeling.
"Fans show up and have a great time and maybe for a little while forget the things that trouble them and just get lost in the action. That seems like a draw to me."
