Episode #33: Kylo Harris

There is a piece of Kylo’s soul that belongs to Canada’s North.  He grew up in Goose Bay, then a fly-in/fly-out community in Labrador, and spent the early years of his sport career in Nunavut.  He tells us that three types of people move North, those that go to save the world - they last about three months.  Those who go for the paycheque - they last about a year, and finally, those who go for the adventure.  The ones who head North for adventure are not there for a specific purpose, but they are the ones most apt to ask, “how can we help out; where can we pitch in?”  These are the people who change the world.  Kylo doesn’t openly seek to change the world, but he does aim to create the best environments for those around him.  He is also not one to say no to adventure. Being open to both possibilities and adventure has served Kylo well and shaped his life in ways he never thought possible.  From his choice of university (in Ontario far from friends and family) to saying yes to the North when his life in Toronto was not panning out the way he expected, to moving communities in Nunavut by snowmachine (a 3-day adventure with strangers), to accepting a position in Manitoba where he knew no one.  Kylo has made the most of life simply by being open to the opportunities presented to him. While not one of the founders of the Grizzlies program in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Kylo was the first staff person with the organization and served as a volunteer coach with female soccer and boys lacrosse.  The experiences Kylo had with the Grizzlies had a profound impact on him, and in the way he leads, in the way he coaches, and the way engages with everyone he interacts with.  Passionate about his role as a sport professional and coach, Kylo also works quietly and tirelessly as a professional behind the scenes as a volunteer to create opportunities for athletes across several contexts, including indigenous teams, girls-only programming, development for smaller sports, and coach succession programs.  He may not recognize that he’s changing the world, but he definitely enhances the world of everyone he engages with. Please enjoy our conversation with Kylo Harris.