Beau Knows: An Interview With Kyle Rowley

Saint Mary's sophomore forward Beau Levesque spent a little time as a reporter recently, interviewing various members of the Gaels men's basketball team. Below is an interesting interview our "man on the street" conducted with junior center Kyle Rowley.

[BL] I'm here with Kyle Rowley, 7-foot center for the Saint Mary's men's basketball team. So, Kyle, I'm going to form this interview similar to the one you saw with Delly and start by asking some non-basketball related questions to really get to know a little bit about you off the court. So first, what is your favorite food?

[KR] I feel like every time someone asks me this question it somewhat changes because I always have a different meal that changes my perspective on things. So right now, probably because I've been craving it, would have to be your mom's banana nut waffles [laughs]. So I'll go with that.

[BL] I'm sure she'll love to hear that! Now if you could be an animal for one day what would it be?

[KR] I'd probably be a lion. Yeah, I'd definitely go with the lion; king of the jungle. I don't really have much hair right now but, you know, having a great mane to wave around in the wind would be awesome.

[BL] Fair enough. If you could have dinner with five people, living or dead, who would they be?

[KR] I think first it would have to be Bob Marley. Definitely would want to see what it was like for him because he's definitely changed the Caribbean culture. Next would be Notorious BIG probably, my favorite rapper, just to hear his story and his perspective on things. I would definitely want to meet and have dinner with Obama, the first black President. And even though I'm not very in-tune with American politics as I should be, I'd love to talk with someone who has done so much for race and society as a whole. Two more right? Well, I lost my uncle three years ago to cancer and I would probably give everything to have that experience with him again. And, I guess nothing beats a meal with my family because I don't get to see them very often and they're all real supportive.

[BL] So for that last one you're just going to combine your entire family?

[KR] Yeah I'm throwing them all in as one, making my own rules [laughs].

[BL] Fair enough. What's one fact about you that maybe not a lot of people know?

[KR] Hmm, I really like to cook

[BL] Really? Anything in particular?

[KR] No specific meal, I'll cook anything and everything.

[BL] You heard it here first. Kyle Rowley, the 7-foot chef! So if you weren't playing basketball what sport would you consider playing?

[KR] Soccer. I'd definitely play soccer. That was the first sport I actually started playing and I fell in love with it. I still watch it; still love it a lot. So if I didn't play soccer I would've probably stuck with that.

[BL] You would've definitely been the world's tallest soccer player. Now Kyle, you are from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, when did you decide to move to the United States?

[KR] Just after my 16^th birthday, going into that summer, I started high school in Chicago at a boarding school named Lake Forest Academy. So I made that transition then.

[BL] What prompted this decision?

[KR] Well I had a lot of support from my parents and we definitely talked about it. But, I definitely wanted to pursue basketball and see how far it could take me. Also, having more opportunities educationally as well, getting out and experiencing new things, being able to travel, stuff like that.

[BL] What were some big differences you noticed in that transition from Trinidad to the U.S.?

[KR] Definitely one of the biggest things I had to adapt with was gaining a sense of responsibility and managing my time, in a sense growing up faster than I expected I would. I had my family around me 24/7. I moved from having my mom do my laundry to having to take on a big load of responsibility.

[BL] So if you could have one thing in America from home in Trinidad, what would it be?

[KR] Apart from my family that's a tough question. Both countries have a lot of things going for them. One of the things I definitely do miss is the sense of how laid back things are there, I feel like sometimes people get lost in how up-beat the lifestyle up is here.

[BL] Now onto some more basketball-related questions: So when did you start playing basketball?

[KR] Well I started playing ball when I was 14. That was the first time I picked up a ball, first time I dribbled one, everything. Just like anything else it took a while for me to get used to it.

[BL] Yeah because in the U.S. 14 is a pretty old age to start playing, so is basketball not as popular in Trinidad?

[KR] It's definitely a developing sport. I mean the major sports really are cricket, track & field and soccer. Basketball is definitely starting to develop and I think people are starting to take a different perspective on things because originally it was a grass-roots sport in Trinidad, mainly just played outdoors.

[BL] Now that you have been playing basketball in America since you were 16, talk a little bit about your journey to Saint Mary's. How'd you end up here?

[KR] I actually had a long, kind of weird journey. But, I definitely appreciated every aspect of it along the way because it's helped me develop. Like I said, I started at Lake Forest Academy and went to boarding school there. I was there for two years and my first year I wasn't sure I was going to be a Division 1 player. I went home that summer and played for the national team. I kind of had a transformation over that summer then I did well my last year at Lake Forest. I signed with Northwestern, ended up playing there. I had an okay freshman year, battled some injuries and stuff going into my sophomore year and wasn't having the experience I wanted so I felt I definitely needed a change. Throughout the whole process of transferring I found Saint Mary's, took my visit and really enjoyed spending time with the guys on the team, the coaching staff, and just the overall community. So, I definitely thought of it as a place I could be successful. I signed, and here I am.

[BL] Well we're definitely happy to have you and happy it all worked out this way. So you mentioned playing with the national team; how was that experience playing for your country?

[KR] Well it's definitely always an honor when you have the chance to go out and help your country. I definitely wear that jersey with a sense of pride on my back. It was definitely a good experience because I love playing international basketball. I definitely like playing against other countries, especially in the Caribbean to get a good gauge on how our team and our country developed. We moved from just getting crushed the first time I played for them to being competitive, beating Puerto Rico, stuff like that, so it was definitely a great experience.

[BL] What would you say is your biggest strength on the basketball court?

[KR] I mean I'm 7 feet tall so my size definitely plays an advantage. But, also I think that I have an ability to be pretty vocal on the court, be a good communicator. So I feel that especially being a center and being able to help take the load off some of the other guys.

[BL] So staying basketball-related, do you have any pre-game rituals that you're comfortable sharing?

[KR] I mean as far as pregame one thing I do before every game, one of the most consistent things at least, is talk to my dad before every game. Whether it's on the walk down to the gym or in the hotel room, I'll just touch base with him and make sure everything's good at home. It's also a sense of comfort because he's been there with me from day one throughout all my sports and academics.

[BL] What's your best memory thus far at SMC?

[KR] Well I'd have to say my best memory so far, I think, would be getting my official acceptance letter; it was definitely a bit of a journey to get that. But along with that was just stepping on campus for the first time, feeling like nothing really changed. I still felt at home the same way I did when I took my visit and still had a chance to get to work. I think overall the best memory is actually getting to play in my first collegiate game again as a Gael.

[BL] So final question Kyle, before you leave Saint Mary's, what is one thing you hope to accomplish?

[KR] On our team we definitely have a set of goals we want to achieve. But I feel, like most individuals, when you play a sport you definitely want to win everything. I know I'm pretty competitive and as a team we are as well. One of our goals for this year is winning it all, and I definitely want to leave Saint Mary's with a ring. I want to win. I want to be a part and a contributor on one of the most successful teams Saint Mary's has had.

[BL] Alright Kyle it's been a pleasure, thanks for your time.

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