love ENDURES | Featuring Kayla-Marie and Adrian Tracy

PHOTOGRAPHY/CINEMATOGRAPHY: Felicity Moments PLANNER: Grace Arhin Events

Both amazing athletes, Kayla-Marie and Adrian initially connected over their passion for sports, but their love for God is the true foundation of their relationship. In our interview, they share how living purpose-filled lives have helped them build successful careers and an enduring love.

Interview by Angela Conner

love...

TELL US HOW YOU MET.

ADRIAN: The very first time that I met Kayla, it was in downtown Hamilton. I was playing for the Hamilton Ticats, and had a community event to attend. A few of my teammates and I were having conversations before the event started, the usual back and forth between locker mates. I had noticed Kayla, but did not know if she was with the team. Shortly after my initial thought, Kayla walked up to us and introduced herself as the new team reporter. She was at the event to interview us and recap the festivities, in order to give fans some offseason content. Now, usually, after the intro's people divert to their comfort space and wait until their part of the job is up, especially in a male-female dynamic. Well, apparently Kayla’s comfort space was right where she stood, next to me, as she cut jokes, debated sports, and flashed that captivating smile. I remember thinking to myself, I love how she is holding her own. Strong, confident, beautiful.

KAYLA-MARIE: God Bless Canadian football! Lol. I had returned from playing professional volleyball abroad and got a job offer with the CFL’s Hamilton Ticats football team. I had the choice: play another year abroad or take a leap of faith with this new job. I went with the Ticats job and little did I know I was going to be introduced to my future husband! Adrian was entering his second season with the team and that’s how we met. It was strictly professional initially when I met Adrian but even then, I could tell there was something different about him that just stood out to me. He had a beautiful spirit about him that was more attractive than his physical beauty. We worked on a few projects together, getting to know more about each other’s faith journey and background. I eventually got a new job and moved back to Toronto. We kept in contact but not consistently. Maybe about a year later, we reconnected and started intentionally dating.

HOW/WHEN/WHERE DID THE PROPOSAL HAPPEN? WE LOVE TO HEAR THE DETAILS!

ADRIAN: The proposal was NOT what I had planned, but as I look back, it happened just as it was supposed to. Initially, I wanted us to take time off and travel. I was thinking Paris, make it romantic, or the complete opposite, a ski resort in Vale, CO, make it unique... something OTHER than my kitchen. Unfortunately, scheduling was an issue, so we settled on a staycation, Blue Mountain Resort and Spa. The morning of, a disagreement led to hours of petty arguing and ignorant silence that ruined what was supposed to be a relaxing day. Not even thinking about proposing, I found myself EXTREMELY humbled when I heard, “Now.” See I had been asking God when and where the right time and place would be. I was feeling stressed out and a lot of pressure on proposing a certain way. I had the ring for about 3 months but I wanted the proposal to be special, and it was. As we arrived at my house and the dissension continued, it ended up with Kayla packing up a couple of things she had at my house and planning to drive an hour plus home. Initially being prideful, I recall thinking, “Fine, go home”, but quickly disregarded that thought because this truly was a ‘now or never’ moment. Kayla thought the argument that ruined the couple's spa day was the first sign of a break-up, I wanted her to understand exactly where I stood when it came to us and our relationship. I rushed to the laundry room to retrieve the ring, and as I got down on my knee and began to let my heart speak, it dawned on me that this was the exact place that we had our first date, and the exact spot I sent her a text saying that one day she would be my wife. It came around full circle.

KAYLA-MARIE: The proposal happened in the middle of Adrian’s kitchen on a winter night in December 2018. This would be the part where I say how incredibly romantic and perfect it was, but the truth is, Adrian and I had been arguing/not speaking for the past 24 hours! We even had this lovely couples spa day ruined by our petty arguing the day before the proposal. BUT GOD! Just when I thought things were only getting worse, Adrian comes out from the laundry room with a bag, and inside was a box. It was a plethora of emotions in such a short amount of time and there were definitely tears! I remember we both got down on our knees and started praying before I stood back up and Adrian asked me to marry him. The location of this unexpected proposal is definitely special because when Adrian and I were getting to know each other, he invited me over for tacos at his house. That night we cooked, ate, drank wine, and talked until almost 3 in the morning. As I drove home he sent me a text message and told me I was going to be his wife. In the same kitchen where our relationship planted its first seeds, was also where I said “Yes!”

AT WHAT POINT IN THE RELATIONSHIP DID YOU, ADRIAN AND KAYLA, KNOW YOU WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER?

ADRIAN: I knew Kayla was a person that I could see myself with, the very first time I met her. I loved how she carried herself in both professional and social settings. It was refreshing to see a woman represent herself in a manner that my mother would be proud of. I felt as though if this were my teammate or lifemate as we call ourselves, that she would be an excellent representation of me and what I stand for. I realized that we were meant to be in some sort of relationship when we had our first on-air interview. There was something undeniable about it. In-person it felt like it was only us, never mind the crew that was in the room filming. On camera there was a glow, we say that God was in the midst, and as our journey continues to be written I don't think that can be denied. I knew we were meant to be together when my mother told me that at the halftime of a game she came to see, she met a young lady in the bathroom. Someone she thought was very lovely, and whom I would like. That, someone, was Kayla.

BRIDAL GOWN: Runway Styled

BRIDAL GOWN BOUTIQUE: Elisabeth & Beau TUX: King and Bay

KAYLA-MARIE: I knew Adrian was the person I could spend my life with very early on. Like I said before, it was his spirit that instantly drew me to him even before we started dating. Even when he sent that text message after our first date, it didn’t scare me nor did I think he was just saying it either. Adrian has always been intentional with me. A true gentleman and someone who I felt wasn’t in the business of playing any sort of games. From the very beginning, we made it a point to keep God at the center and cultivate our “ship”, both friendship and relationship.

WHAT WERE YOU INITIALLY PLANNING FOR YOUR WEDDING, AND HOW DID COVID-19 AFFECT YOUR WEDDING PLANS?

ADRIAN: Our initial plan was to have a destination wedding in St. Lucia. We were blessed enough to visit the year prior and fell in love with the island. It seemed to be the perfect location, one neither of us had visited before but miraculously felt like home. A place to create memories to share with family and our closest friends. With a date set for April 28, 2020, we sent invitations and acquired vendors. Unfortunately, we had to postpone and eventually cancel due to COVID. That forced us to adjust in the manner of having a small intimate ceremony. Again it was as if God ordained this particular outcome seeing as Two Sisters Vineyard, an important staple in our relationship, was the site of our wedding on March 23, 2021.

KAYLA-MARIE: Initially, our plan was to hop on a plane and say “I Do” in Saint Lucia! We absolutely fell in love with the island when we vacationed there while still dating. It was going to be a small, intimate beach wedding with our family and friends but of course, the world stopped when the pandemic hit and so did travel. Our initial wedding date was set for April 28, 2020. We postponed it exactly one year and even after moving our date back, we realized heading into 2021, there were still a plethora of obstacles in our way of having the beach wedding we envisioned. We also knew we were not willing to postpone our wedding a second time. That’s when we decided to cancel it altogether. It wasn’t easy but we knew it was the right decision and had faith that the wedding that was meant for us would still come together exactly how it was supposed to. We scraped our entire wedding vision and for a while, didn’t know what we were going to do until one night at home, we both said “Why are we waiting?” and together we came up with our plan to have a small vineyard wedding.

sports...

HBCUS ARE GETTING THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE IN THE MEDIA FOR THEIR AWESOME EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. WHAT DID YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE GOING TO AN HBCU? HOW DID GOING TO GRAMBLING AFFECT YOUR CAREER TRAJECTORY?

KAYLA-MARIE: I loved my time at Grambling! GSU’s volleyball program took a chance on me by offering a full athletic scholarship and it changed the trajectory of my life forever. I wouldn’t be who I am today with my time at Grambling. The HBCU experience is simply special. It’s true representation: seeing professors and chancellors and head coaches to presidents who are all people of color, instead of the rare minority is important. It’s a community, it’s a solid education, it’s an alumni network, (for me) it’s Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., it’s a second family, it’s homecoming, it’s friendship that lasts a lifetime. At Grambling we say it’s “the place where everybody is somebody” and it’s true! Like many things, it’s not perfect, but those who have known about the beauty of HBCUs will always sing its praises. it’s nice to see the rest of the country and world are starting to realize what many alumni have known for a very long time.

YOU PLAYED VOLLEYBALL IN HIGH SCHOOL. WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU TAKEN FROM SPORTS THAT HAVE HELPED YOU IN YOUR LIFE AND CAREER?

KAYLA-MARIE: In volleyball, I was considered a bit of an underdog, mainly due to my height as I wasn’t as tall as other outside hitters. It made me work harder, smarter and that underdog mentality stuck with me and transferred over into my life and career. As I was trying to break into the television broadcasting industry, I hustled just as hard (applying for internships, networking, sometimes working gigs for free, putting myself out there) . It wasn't always pretty or glamorous but it helped me prepare for where I am now in my career. The biggest lesson that carried over from the volleyball court to the newsroom would have to be the team mentality because in television, while you may see a handful of faces on your screen at home, just know there are dozens of people behind the camera helping make it all go down seamlessly. It is truly a team effort.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG MINORITY WOMEN WHO WANT TO FOLLOW A CAREER PATH LIKE YOURS?

KAYLA-MARIE: Do not dim your light in order to fit in. Embrace that light and let it shine! Early in my career, I felt unworthy or not as qualified. That imposter syndrome was real--The amount of self-doubt would be deafening at times. Even to this day, it still likes to whisper. Thank God, I don’t let it stick around for very long. Work hard on your craft and always remember: You are worthy of the space that you take up. Whatever table it is, you deserve to be there.

WHEN DID YOU KNOW THAT PLAYING FOOTBALL WAS YOUR PASSION?

ADRIAN: Football is the vehicle by which I am able to serve people, and people are my passion.

WE HAVE SEEN MANY PLAYERS IN THE NFL AND CFL BECOME VERY OUTSPOKEN ABOUT SOCIAL ISSUES AND MOVEMENTS SUCH AS BLACK LIVES MATTER. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU TO USE YOUR PLATFORM TO ADVANCE THE GREATER GOOD?

ADRIAN: There is undeniable value in truth, unadulterated truth. Many personal narratives are controlled, censored, or silenced. With social media, athletes are able to directly convey their views, opinions, and thoughts. Sometimes to their betterment, other times to their detriment. At the end of the day, THEY are in control. To me that is of the utmost importance.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUNG ADULTS PURSUING A CAREER IN ATHLETICS?

ADRIAN: My advice for anyone pursuing anything is to be consistent. Ask yourself what version of you is on the other side of consistency? Consistency requires you to be accountable, disciplined, intentional. Those intangibles provide a foundation for progress. The goal is to get at least 1% better every day in some way shape or form.

spirituality

HOW DID YOUR FAITH IN GOD HELP YOU NAVIGATE GETTING MARRIED DURING A PANDEMIC?

KAYLA-MARIE: Our faith has been the cornerstone of our relationship even before the pandemic but there is no doubt we relied on it heavily during these unprecedented times. From keeping a level head and praying that family and friends remain healthy during a pandemic to then navigating all of the cancellations and pivoting to our next plan. Through it all, I always felt God’s peace was never too far away. My faith also helped me put a lot into perspective. Yes, things may have fallen through and almost everything you had planned is no longer happening, but you are alive, your family is healthy, your husband-to-be loves you and you love him. All the other details really started to shrink. We focused on what was truly important and in less than a month, Adrian and I with the help of the event coordinator from Two Sisters (who we spoke with via email and phone until the Big Day) executed the perfect wedding, just

for us.

YOU'RE VERY SPIRITUAL. HOW HAS THE POWER OF PRAYER TRANSFORMED YOUR LIFE?

ADRIAN: Prayer has been MY lifeline. Many people believe prayer has to be formal, with a structured beginning, wordy middle and elegant end. But what I have realized is, that the more informal, genuine, transparent, and real I am, the more empowering prayer becomes. God already knows, and as I become more aware of that reality, the transformation begins with that confession. Now God can be God, and I can rest in the peace of who He is.

HOW HAVE THE MENTALITIES/MINDSETS YOU LEARNED BEING AN ATHLETE MADE YOU A BETTER PARTNER/HUSBAND?

ADRIAN: They have caused me to do a consistent personal audit. Some things do correlate from the field, to marriage, such as communication. But the way in which I communicate must be different to accommodate my wife, as an example.

keeping the spark alive...

WE SEE THAT YOU LOVE TO COOK! GIVE OUR COUPLES YOUR FAVORITE DATE NIGHT DISH.

KAYLA-MARIE: Birria queso tacos are a favorite of ours! We love trying new recipes out and this specific type of taco has become a staple in our house. It’s got to marinate and slow cook for several hours but trust me, it’s so worth it! I’m blessed to have a husband who not only loves food as much as I do but enjoys cooking and trying new things

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUNG SINGLES LOOKING FOR LOVE AND WAITING FOR THEIR SOULMATE?

KAYLA-MARIE: Do not limit what God can do. That means His timing too! There are moments where it may feel like the waiting is in vain or taking much longer than you thought, but it’s in that waiting you need to find and learn to love and be content with yourself. Embrace loving yourself and becoming whole, because, in the end, a partner is meant to complement not complete your story.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR MEN TO KEEP THE ROMANCE ALIVE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS?

ADRIAN: Get to know your partner. Let the romance be familiar to her love language, what she responds to, what she genuinely appreciates, BUT do so in refreshing, new, enticing and creative ways. love meat and potatoes, but I appreciate them in different forms, burger and fries, steak with roasted potatoes, meatloaf and mash… with romance, same thing.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AND KAYLA IN 10 YEARS?

ADRIAN: Lord willing, shepherding a healthy growing family, that will be the salt of the earth. Using our lives to show that God is real, that He is intentional, and that He does care for you. When we started dating we stated we wanted to be an example of what could happen if you let go and let God. We strive to consistently be that daily.

VIEW KAYLA-MARIE AND ADRIAN'S EXCLUSIVE WEDDING PHOTOS ON PAGE 92.