Alumni Profile - Sukhpreet Singh (Artsci '17)
Q. What drew you to come to Queen's originally?
To be quite honest, I had no intention of coming to Queen's. Out of high school I was very adamant about staying close to home so I never even thought about applying to Queen's until Steph, Chris, and Madhav starting recruiting me.
Ultimately, it came down to the coaching staff gaining my mom's trust, and they did that. After a visit from Steph and Madhav to my house I was pretty set on coming. The chance to play right away was something that I really wanted, but knowing I had to earn it was something that Steph made very clear, and I respected that. From a basketball standpoint it was a no brainer – to be able to play right away, get better as a player, and be a part of something that will change the culture of Queen's basketball forever was important to me. Also knowing that I would eventually graduate from such a prestigious school in order to better my life after basketball was part of my reasoning as well.
Q. What were your expectations coming into the men's basketball program? How have those expectations changed throughout your 5 years?
Coming out of high school, I played at a school that had won a lot at the highest levels of high school basketball, so to come into Queen's after they had just gone 2-20 was tough. I didn't expect that we'd beat the Carleton's, Ottawa's, and Ryerson's right away - but my expectation for myself, my teammates, and coaching staff was to prove that eventually we would, and that we belonged.
As the years progressed we went from losing to those teams convincingly, to being one possession away from beating the top teams in the country which is pretty special. However, the biggest change that I didn't realize would happen is the change of character in myself, and the lessons I learned by being a part of this team. I came in as a kid who thought he knew it all and didn't work as hard as I should have, but that all changed over the years. I thought coming here would just make me a better basketball player, but it's so much more than basketball with this program - I'm leaving a better person and there's not much more I could ask for.
Q. What has being a Gael for 5 years meant to you?
Being a Gael is very special - the chance to wear Queen's across your chest every day and represent a prestigious institution, a great Kingston community, and the Athletics Department who all support you throughout the ups and downs is an opportunity that should never be taken for granted. Being a Gael has meant being a member of a community that cares for you, supports you, and gives you all the resources you need to succeed.
In a nutshell, Queen's has given me an extended family through basketball, but also Queen's Athletics. I know I can come back for the rest of my life, and feel as though I've never left. Being part of this team and program has instilled a sense of work ethic, respect, and a sincere passion for Queen's Athletics that all Gaels should represent daily.
Q. What are your plans in the future given your experiences and educational background?
As a recent graduate with a BAH in politics, my life experiences in addition to my education has paved my interest towards being a Police Constable. Hopefully one day I will be serving a community and instilling the same strong character in my community like Queen's did for me. However, in the meantime, I am pursuing playing professional basketball and am working towards that daily.
Q. Can you share an interesting fact about yourself that many people wouldn't know about you?
It has not come up during my time at Queen's so many people here do not know that I'm completely bilingual in both English and Punjabi.
