Week 38: Kandice Baptiste

Director

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. 

She:kon! My name is Kandice Baptiste and I was born and raised in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. I’m currently the Director, Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre at Queen’s University. I played basketball my entire life which lead me to play four years of varsity basketball at Wilfrid Laurier University.

How has sport helped you develop skills for your work today?

Sports helped me develop many skills that I use every day in my job. Sports taught me about how to communicate with many different types of people, including how to motivate folks and build buy-in. It also taught me how to time manage, as I got older basketball began to take up more and more of my time so I was able to build up those critical skills early in life. Playing a team sport also taught me how to be a team player and work alongside others towards a common goal.

What qualities in a teammate for sport or work do you look for? Why?

Trust is key. I think it’s important to know when you’re on a team that everyone has each other’s back. It builds strong relationships and allows folks to take risks when they have comfort knowing that everyone supports each other.

What is one piece of advice would you have for young female athletes today?

I don’t know if I have anything memorable or different than what other folks might offer. But I think it’s important for young female athletes to have fun and push themselves to their limits. Athletic careers are short but the relationships and memories that you build will carry you for a lifetime.