'It motivates me to get back on the court': Winnipeg basketball player rehabs through community outreach - Action News
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Manitoba

'It motivates me to get back on the court': Winnipeg basketball player rehabs through community outreach

Kyanna Giles is undergoing rehab for a devastating knee injury she suffered in Canada West basketball final in 2019.

Kyanna Giles working to join U of W Wesmen next season after knee injury in Canada West final

Winnipeg basketball player Kyanna Giles has returned to Winnipeg to recover from a knee injury and coach young players as part of Basketball Manitoba's School Ambassador Program. (Marjorie Dowhos/CBC)

As the saying goes "there's no place like home."

That rings true for Canadian university basketball star Kyanna Giles.

The Winnipegger is back in her hometown after suffering a serious knee injury in March during the Canada West basketball final.

The 21-year-old Giles was in the middle of a championship run with the University of Regina Cougars when she completely tore her right anterior cruciate ligament or ACL.

"I was devastated," said the five-foot-sevenguard. "When you have a big injury, just thoughts go in your head and you just don't know where to go from there."

Giles vividly recalls how she went down in the third quarter during the finalagainst the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

"I was just going for a regular, right-hand layup, that maybe I've done a million times, and as soon as I took my first step, my knee just blew and I knew it. I knew it was my ACL as soon as it happened."

The Cougars ended up losing the Canada West title to the Huskies 53-49.Giles said she felt helpless after suffering the injury late in the game.

"When you're an impact on your team and you go down, it's hard," she said. "The girls were like, 'Is KyannaOK?' But they're not really focused on the game, so it was a hard time."

Coincidentally, just one week later, during the U Sports basketball final-eighttournament, Giles' twin sister and Cougars teammateKyia also went down with a torn ACL.

Twin sisters Kyanna, left, and Kyia, right, played together with the Sisler Spartans varsity basketball team and with the University of Regina Cougars. (Holly Caruk/CBC)

The sisters have been teammates on every team they've played on including Sargent Park School, Sisler High School and the University of Regina. Together they helped lead every team they've played on to a championship. Now, like everything else they've done in their basketball careers together,the sisters find themselves on injured reserve.

"We were going through our recovery together in the summer," saidGiles. "It's unheard of, twinstearing ACLs a week apart. People were like, 'Come on, how does that happen?'"

The decision to return home

Giles returned home to Winnipeg after finishing her third year at the University of Regina.She decided to return to Winnipeg, where she could be closer to family, complete her bachelor of arts and bachelor of education degrees, and get ready to play basketball again.

"It's been a hard transition, but I had a lot of people behind me rooting for me," she said.

Giles has had to get healthy without twin sister Kyia, who is now playing with Ryerson University.

"It's hard because when you have a twin, I know where my sister's going to be," she said."I miss her, but we're on our own paths and we're setting our names for ourselves, so that's good."

Kyanna Giles shows a scar on her right knee after she required surgery to repair a torn ACL she suffered in the Canada West basketball final in March 2019. (Gary Solilak/CBC)

Giles underwent reconstructive surgery to repair her ACL. A scar about an inch long on her right knee is a reminder of the injury.

"You have some ups and downs. Some days you feel like you can jump and touch the skies. Some days you feel like you can't walk."

The injury forced Giles to take a year off from competitive basketballto recover. U Sports requires transferring student- athletes to sit out a year. She will be eligible to play for the University of Winnipeg Wesmen in the 2020-2021 season. Giles saidshe's looking forward to playing again, and reuniting withWesmen head coach Tanya McKay.

"She actually coached me and my sister when we won with Team Manitoba in 2014. We won nationals that year, so I'm excited to join her team."

Giles says even though she's not playing this season, the Wesmen have welcomed her with open arms.

"They have high energy and I'm loving it.I feel it's gonna be great."

Giving back to the community

Giles' knee injury hasn't stopped her from giving back to her hometown.

Basketball Manitoba recruited Giles to help coach students in schools around Winnipeg, as part of the organization's school ambassador program.

For Giles, helping children learn more about the sport was fulfilling.

She has been working with students around Winnipegevery Tuesday and Thursday since the beginning of October.

"When you're injured you just feel like you can't do anything, but that was not my mindset," she said."I want to give back to the game, and show kids that."

Winnipeg-born basketball player Kyanna Giles coaches Grade 9 student Caden Tugade at Sargent Park School as part of Basketball Manitoba's School Ambassador Program. (Gary Solilak/CBC)

Caden Tugade is a Grade 8 student at Sargent Park, and a point guard on the boys' basketball team. He's excited to learn from Giles, who played at the same school nine years ago.

"This is good. Former students coming here to teach us, that's a good lesson," said the 13-year-old. "She could teach me stuff that I can do to my opponents to help me score and improve my game."

Tugade understands the legacy of the Giles sisters and Sargent Park's winning basketball record.

"Knowing how great our teams used to be," saidTugade. "Makes me wanna do good as well."

Kayla Tetrault is a physical education teacher at Sargent Park School and Kyanna Giles' former basketball coach. (Gary Solilak/CBC)

Kayla Tetrault coached Giles at Sargent Park. She says she feels like a proud parent to see one of her former students now coaching the next generation of athletes.

"She is such a positive female role model," Tetrault said."All of our students really look up to her and her sister.It just means a lot to see those students come back and be role models, and just show the kids that they can do whatever they set their mind to."

Giles is among a number of high-profile basketball players from Manitoba who have returned home and joined Basketball Manitoba's School Ambassador Program.Others have included Emily Potter, Keith Omoerah and A.J. Basi.

Giles says getting to work with the students is preparing her for life after basketball.

"I love basketball," she said."Basketball is going to end for me, playing, but I still want to do something coach, give back, do something."

Giles still has plenty of playing days ahead of her. She's working hard on getting ready for her debut with the Wesmen in 2020 and says the joy of seeing students excited to play the game has helped lift her spirits.

"They're so excited,"she said."It motivates me to get back on to the court so they can actually see me play."

Winnipeg basketball player rehabs through community outreach

5 years ago
Duration 3:29
Winnipeg basketball player Kyanna Giles has returned to Winnipeg to recover from a knee injury and coach young players as part of Basketball Manitoba's School Ambassador Program.