Whether as a basketball player, coach, mentor, or entrepreneur—Keesa Koomalsingh knows how to pivot. Actually, she describes pivoting as one of her greatest strengths on her path to removing barriers and providing unprecedented support to female athletes of all ages. Keesa is changing the landscape of women’s sport in Canada. Let’s get to know her. 

Can you tell us a bit about HoopQueens? 

HoopQueens is a nonprofit organization made for female basketball players. We’ve changed the narrative for women's basketball across the country by creating Canada’s first paid women’s basketball league. But it’s a lot more than that—HoopQueens is an ecosystem for women in sport. We’re creating a pipeline of support for athletes at the elementary, high school, post-secondary, and pro level. 

We’ve changed the narrative for women's basketball across the country by creating Canada’s first paid women’s basketball league.

Are there any moments you've experienced either as an athlete or entrepreneur that have felt especially significant—things you look back on as turning points?

When I tore my ACL I didn't know who I was after. That injury changed my perspective on how to deal with life. I had to figure out a different path, and just pivot. Now I feel like pivoting is my biggest strength as an entrepreneur and the founder of HoopQueens.

When I tore my ACL I didn't know who I was after. That injury changed my perspective on how to deal with life, figure out a different path, and just pivot.

Why do you think it's important for women and girls to stay in sports?

I think it’s important for us to just keep doing what we're excited about. Sports teach you many  transferable life skills that can be applied to so many different areas of life. When people embody that  sisterhood and concept of being on a team, great things happen; you meet so many new people and canform incredible, lifelong friendships.

Do you have any advice for young girls in sport or just women in general?

Believe in yourself, have confidence, and don't be so hard on yourself. We can be so hard on ourselves and so critical of how we look, how we think,  and how we act. Sometimes we don't give ourselves enough praise, especially with all of the barriers we face in society. So, my advice is to simply be positive. 

Are there any things you say to yourself when you need a confidence boost or when you’re having a challenging time?

What I say to myself now is, “You’re unstoppable. You can do it. You started Canada's first paid women's basketball league. You can do anything you put your mind to.” I just like to remind myself of the skills I have.

What led you to create HoopQueens? 

When I came back for the summers as a university athlete there was no place for womento play basketball. I had to jump in with the guys, and I was often the only girl. As well, growing up, I only had male coaches  and mentors. They were amazing and a big part  of my success today, but I didn't have that older sister figure in the basketball community to look up to and ask questions. I wanted to be that for the next generation, and to create an ecosystem of support for women's basketball. 

Have you noticed a shift in the sport of basketball and the players that you deal with in Toronto since you started the league? 

We’re heading into our third season this year, and there’s definitely been a big shift. If athletes don't have an option to play overseas when they graduate, they really look forward to playing in  our summer league. That means the most to me because it just didn’t exist when I was playing. A lot of  these players haven’t gotten to play in front of family and friends in a long time. So that’s really cool too.  

Sometimes I just can't believe that I started this organization that means so much to the community. 

What role do you think community plays in the success of female athletes

Community is everything for female athletes. It's the cheer in the stands, the comforting words after a tough game, and the shared victories that make every win sweeter. In the rollercoaster of highs and lows, having a community means you're never alone. It's the teammates who become sisters and the fans who become family. We fall in and out of love with the game, so our support systems play such an important role in the success and trajectory of our careers.

The theme for International Women's Day this year is “Inspire inclusion”. Can you share a little bit about what this idea means for the work you're doing in your community?

Inclusion is about making sure we all have opportunities regardless of our many differences . Our junior HoopQueens program is one of my favourite things. It’s a skills and development program for young girls ages 5 to 14. And it’s also cost-free because when I was an athlete that was always an issue with not being able to  get to every practice or a game, or couldn't afford shoes, or uniforms and things like that. We get gas cards for parents and partner with Footlocker and Nike so we can provide shoes if need be. We do all that so kids can just step on the court, play, and have fun. We don’t want kids worrying about barriers.  

We focus on the introductory skills of basketball, but that's only about 10% of it. Basketball is what I use  to get everyone in the room. I want to teach young girls about life, relationships, education, and how  to balance all those things. I just want to show young girls how to succeed on and off the court and teach  them to have the confidence to be the queens that they are. 

With young women and basketball these days, it can often feel very transactional. It’s all about winning or getting a scholarship. I want it to be about sisterhood, having fun, and the life skills that basketball teaches you. My main thing is just trying to be the change I wanted to see growing up. 

I just want to show young girls how to succeed on and off the court and teach them to have the confidence to be the queens that they are.

How have your personal experiences influenced the way you teach?

When I was in university, I went through a really bad relationship. It shifted my personal experience and my confidence. When I started HoopQueens I really wanted to build support for young girls that are in university, and high school because that's when those relationships typically start. That’s what started the mentorship side of our program. I want to let these girls know about setting boundaries, building healthy relationships in your life, and discovering what a healthy relationship looks like. 

When we spoke earlier, you talked about the importance of recognizing intersectionality. Can you tell us more about that? 

As Black women, we're in the trenches and we don't want to fight anymore. We don't want to be seen as  tough women anymore. We want to be able to walk into a room and feel respected without having to  say what we do and what we've done. Sometimes I feel I have to prove myself for people to respect me in a conversation. This is why it’s important to talk about intersectionality and how every woman can play a role in lifting each other up. A lot of Black women feel like, to be in certain rooms, we have to code  switch, or we can't be ourselves because we're not welcome in the space. There’s a lot of imposter  syndrome that comes with that. 

As Black women…we want to be able to walk into a room and feel respected without having to say what we do and what we've done.

Is there something you would say to people experiencing that kind of imposter syndrome? 

If you don't feel like you belong somewhere, then create your own space. That's what I did. Just create your own room and let people gravitate towards you. 

By: Carter Selinger