Kai Leighton shares his story
VIU Mariners basketball player Kai Leighton graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Major in Psychology last month, but he’s not done with university hoops just yet. He’s coming back for one more season for a shot at winning a national championship on home turf (VIU hosts the nationals next spring).
Basketball has been a part of Kai’s life since he was a kid.
“I started playing ball when I was eight. I played because my dad played and my older cousins played,” he says. “I loved it right away. I was pretty good at it and I love competition more than anything, so it became a fixation for me early on.”
That love of the game was a key factor when he was deciding where to pursue post-secondary education. Originally from Prince Rupert, BC, Kai chose VIU “because of the basketball, to be frank. I also love the Island and the weather and Nanaimo because it reminds me of home and I thought it would be a good fit.”
This assessment turned out to be correct for Kai, who made an impact with the Mariners, earning various accolades along the way.
Most recently, he was named one of this year’s Academic All-Canadians by the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The award recognizes student-athletes who achieve an honours standing in academics combined with an elite athletic achievement.
Kai is proud of what the award represents – remaining disciplined and committed to his studies while “giving it 100% on the court.”
He loves the friendships and connections that he’s formed by being part of the team, as well.
“All of my best friends are mostly current and former teammates and I love sharing all my basketball experiences with guys I truly enjoy being around,” he says.
For the past two years, Kai has also volunteered weekly during the fall with the Nanaimo Special Olympics basketball team, the Timberwolves.
“I help run practices and work on skills and it’s been a great experience working with them. I’m excited to do it again this year,” he says. “They are a great group and they have given us a ton of support at our home games the last few years so it’s nice to be able to give back to them.”
That support from the organization and the broader Nanaimo community will also be a key element of Kai’s final year – which includes the Nationals in March.
“It's a great opportunity to end my career and play what will be my final games of college ball in front of our community,” he says.
As for his plans after VIU, Kai says he’s open to different paths but will take the opportunity to enjoy next summer back home in Prince Rupert as a bit of a reset after spending the last three summers in Nanaimo and being away from home since he was 17.
Kai sees himself either getting into a trade or working in the marine industry “because I got to do a bit of work experience with that in high school and I really enjoyed it.”
For current and future student-athletes, Kai offers some advice:
“Enjoy yourself as much as possible and fully immerse yourself in the experience of university because it is very short," he says. "Get outside your comfort zone, try different things and be open to experiences because that’s the best way to get to know yourself outside of athletics and school. Finally, do what you can to give back to the community of Nanaimo because they will invest so much time and support into you and it is important to reciprocate that.”
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