One thing most people don't know about me is that I have dyspraxia. Also known as "clumsy child syndrome" - I'd try to tell you how inappropriate that name is but I did fall over and crack my head open three times as a youngster.
In case you've never heard of dyspraxia, it is a type of Developmental Co-ordination Disorder which affects all areas of co-ordination. For me, it was very clear at school that I had it due to my poor balance, ability in sports and awful handwriting. Those have improved as I've got older (apart from the handwriting, nobody can understand my writing - not even me).
Most people are surprised when they find this out when they know about my time as a Professional Wrestler. When you see me performing in Wrestling matches it is impossible to see any signs of my dyspraxia. But you don't get to see when I first started and struggled with the simplest of moves. Or when I've come back after a long break and struggled with a simple front flip or forward roll. It's took practise, practise and more practise to learn how to do things that most people would be able to pick up after one go. My hard work put allowed me to have matches with some of the UK's best Wrestlers (Zebra Kid, Kris Travis & Martin Kirby to name a few) and to have been a big part of three Count Wrestling over the years.
I've never really seen myself as someone "who has dyspraxia". I've never really mentioned it to people, unless they've questioned my terrible handwriting. However, I have always wanted to use my experience as a Wrestler to help those people who do struggle see that there's still no limits to the things that they can achieve. If I was able to perform at such a high level in something that requires great co-ordination then what's to stop a seven year old boy or girl with dyspraxia from chasing their dreams, whatever they may be.
About six or seven years ago I mentioned to a work colleague that I had dyspraxia and she was shocked because her son had dyspraxia, She told me he had always held himself back from things he thought he would be unable to do. She brought him along to one of the Wrestling shows that I was on. It was so rewarding knowing that after watching me he'd gone back to school and signed up to play for the Rugby team. He'd been holding himself back from playing Rugby because "someone with dyspraxia can't play Rugby".
If there's any message I've always wanted to get out there it is that people should not hold themselves back from anything they want to do. Sure you might not succeed with everything you attempt but you've got 100% more of a chance of success when you try than you do if you don't try at all.