Television
Sparks' time at The Golf Channel began as a production assistant in the cable television network's original productions department. In fact, the very first time Sparks appeared in front of a camera was in the 2004 film, Bobby Jones: A Stroke of Genius. In the movie, Sparks played Alexa Stirling, the winner of three consecutive United States Women's Amateur Golf Championships and a close friend of the legendary golfer. To try out for the part, Sparks went to an open audition during a lunch break in Orlando, where The Golf Channel's studios are located. To her surprise, she got the part, even without prior acting experience. She had just two scenes in the movie, and shooting them took just two days in the Autumn of 2003. Though Jones and Stirling were considered great golfers in their day, the big contrast between Sparks and the film's star, Jim Caviezel, who played Bobby Jones, was that Sparks was once a great player with much promise, though it was never completely fulfilled, and Caviezel had never picked up a golf club in his life. Sparks has said, though, that she has no desire to pursue an acting career, that it was just a great experience. She also said that working with Caviezel was "surreal."
The film debuted in April 2004, and Sparks' first time in front of a camera for The Golf Channel took place in July 2004, when she began hosting Golf With Style! Sparks also anchors short Golf Central updates on Thursdays and Fridays to tell viewers what's going on in the early part of a round at a golf tournament. Sparks also co-hosted the third edition of The Golf Channel's reality television competition show, The Big Break, titled, The Big Break III: Ladies Only, alongside Vince Cellini. It was the first time hosting the show for Sparks and Cellini. In the Fall of 2005, Sparks and Cellini returned to host The Big Break IV: USA vs. Europe. They will return again on February 7, 2006, for The Big Break V: Hawaii, a second "ladies only" edition. Sparks also hosts many of the Golf Channel's program, "Playing Lessons With the Pros," where she along with a professional golfer offer tips while they play.
Read more about this topic: Stephanie Sparks
Famous quotes containing the word television:
“Anyone afraid of what he thinks television does to the world is probably just afraid of the world.”
—Clive James (b. 1939)
“We cannot spare our children the influence of harmful values by turning off the television any more than we can keep them home forever or revamp the world before they get there. Merely keeping them in the dark is no protection and, in fact, can make them vulnerable and immature.”
—Polly Berrien Berends (20th century)
“It is among the ranks of school-age children, those six- to twelve-year-olds who once avidly filled their free moments with childhood play, that the greatest change is evident. In the place of traditional, sometimes ancient childhood games that were still popular a generation ago, in the place of fantasy and make- believe play . . . today’s children have substituted television viewing and, most recently, video games.”
—Marie Winn (20th century)