BMOS student to represent Canada in rowing

On March 12, 2025, Kyland Mels-Williams, a second-year Business Management and Organizational Studies (BMOS) student, headed to Paraguay to compete as a member of Canada’s rowing team at the Junior Pan Ams Qualification Regatta. This will mark his debut at an international rowing competition and for Team Canada, a milestone he considers "a big step forward" in his athletic career.

Mels-Williams is very excited about heading to South America. “This event has also motivated me to work harder during our winter training to best support my teammates in Paraguay,” he says.

Mels-Williams will be competing in the quad and the four categories. While both involve four rowers, a quad in rowing (assigned the symbol 4x) is a sculling boat where each rower holds one oar in each hand, while a four (assigned the symbol 4) is a sweep rowing boat where each of the rowers holds one oar with both hands.

Having rowed for four years prior to his time at King’s, Mels-Williams watched the Western Men’s Rowing team practice which inspired him to work hard and make the team during his first year at King’s. He came to King’s because it had the program he wanted (Mels-Williams is majoring in Global Commerce) and as a King’s student, he is able to participate in Western sports teams.

When asked what he enjoys most about rowing, Mels-Williams says it is “the peaceful mornings on the water and being outside in nature surrounded by wildlife and water. Many mornings in the summer, you get to see the sunrise, and it is by far the best way to start your day.”

He also enjoys being part of a crew. “Through our racing season you get to know everyone well and create a strong bond between each member of the boat,” he says.

But as part of Team Canada, Mels-Williams will be rowing with athletes he has never raced with before. He will utilize skills he learned as part of a project in his Organizational Behaviour class. As part of the class, he had to do a presentation with random students he had never worked with before. He learned how to be adaptable and create an environment that best supports those around him, while working on his leadership, teamwork and time-management skills. All of this will come in handy in Paraguay.

Mels-Williams is thankful for the support that King’s provides for our student-athletes. Being accommodated for his class schedule, examinations and tests has allowed him to race without additional stress.

“Being able to pick my classes first is a huge help for my busy training schedule with rowing. Our team practices Monday to Saturday and early in the mornings and afternoons, so having the option to pick the classes that match up best with my training schedule allows me to excel both in my academics and athletics,” Mels-Williams explains.

Best of luck, Kyland!