In the world of sports, the most unexpected journeys often lead to the most extraordinary destinations. Ken Shields' path to basketball was never supposed to happen.

He was a Prairie hockey kid through and through, the kind who didn鈥檛 remember learning to skate because it was just always part of life. Winters were spent on frozen rinks, skating until supper time, grabbing a quick meal, and then heading right back out onto the ice. Basketball wasn鈥檛 even on his radar.

That all changed when his family moved to Haida Gwaii, a remote archipelago off the northern coast of the Island. 

The transition was stark. 鈥淭here was no ice,鈥� Shields recalled, laughing at the memory of his withdrawal from hockey.

Instead, he found himself surrounded by Indigenous kids who played basketball. It was their sport, their passion, and their culture. If he wanted to fit in, he had to learn the game.

But learning wasn鈥檛 easy. In grades 6 and 7, Shields struggled. He wasn鈥檛 good at basketball, and the gym he played in was a far cry from the modern facilities most young athletes experience today.

鈥淭hey had 245-gallon drums, one on each side of the court for heat. Wood-fired, red-hot, no guard rails. But that was what was accepted, and that鈥檚 what we did.鈥�

Despite his initial struggles, he found something special in that community.

鈥淚 was a skinny, little white guy playing, and there weren鈥檛 many of us. You could have fought every day, but in that gym, in that hall, I don鈥檛 remember ever hearing anything nasty. Everybody was sure to play. Everybody.鈥�

Shields' love for basketball continued to grow, but his journey was anything but smooth. When he moved to Prince Rupert for high school, he struggled to make the team.

In Grade 11, he wasn鈥檛 even close. He didn鈥檛 make the 'B' team and was instead given the role of team manager.

Yet, he didn鈥檛 let that discourage him. He played in local leagues, improving his game against more experienced players.

By Grade 12, something changed. Shields tried out for the team, not expecting much. He just wanted to play against good players. But when the team list was posted, he saw his name. 鈥淚鈥檝e never been so thrilled,鈥� the 79-year-old recalled. 鈥淚 just get goosebumps remembering the feeling of seeing my name on that list. I never dreamt I could be on that team.鈥�

His team went on to achieve something extraordinary in 1964. Prince Rupert鈥檚 school had only 300 students, yet they competed against much larger schools from Vancouver and other cities.

There were no divisions 鈥� every high school in British Columbia fought for the same championship. Against all odds, Shields and his teammates won the B.C. Championship in Grade 13.

His success in high school led him to the college level. Shields started at Mount Royal on a scholarship, then transferred to the University of Calgary before concluding his playing career at the University of British Columbia. His playing career shaped his coaching philosophy, as he had experience playing multiple positions, including point guard, forward, and centre. That versatility became invaluable when he transitioned into coaching.

Shields' coaching career started at UBC in 1969, where he worked with the women鈥檚 team while earning his master鈥檚 degree. Success came quickly 鈥� his team won the national championship in his first year.

鈥淔ive of the girls made the national team,鈥� Shields said. 鈥淭hey were a talented group. We actually got to practise at the men鈥檚 War Memorial Gym. During that time, women weren鈥檛 allowed to train in there. But we built a really good relationship with the men's team, and this became a sign of things to come."

His next step took him across the country to Laurentian University, where he became the head coach.

Over six years, he focused on developing Northern Ontario talent, instilling a coaching philosophy built on trust, competence, and integrity. He emphasized fitness and defence, two things every player could control regardless of skill level.

鈥淒efence, you don鈥檛 have the ball, so you鈥檙e not handling skill sets. It鈥檚 the mentality and the toughness to be tough defenders," Shields said. "We can control players鈥� knowledge of where to be systematically without the ball, so this is something that we wanted mastered."

Following his time in Ontario, Shields returned to his home province in 1976 to coach the University of Victoria and serve as the athletic director for the school.

"The closeness that we had as a team, which we developed over time, is something that I am so proud of," Shields said. "We never talked about winning; we talked about playing the game at the highest level every single day."

Over his 13 years as the Vikes' bench boss, UVic captured seven consecutive national championships, and 10 Canada West titles, while Shields was honoured with four straight Coach of the Year awards.

"We worked so hard, every single day. We set a standard from the start that ensured every player was ready to commit to, and we were determined to keep that standard consistent."

One of the ideologies that Shields preached to his team was the five-minute philosophy. This made players train like it was the final five minutes of the championship, against the best team in the country. Every day. Every practice.

"I had it pretty well embedded that our practices were to prepare us for the last five minutes of the championship game. When you step on the floor for practice, our preparation is for that final stretch against the best team you鈥檒l face."

This philosophy was accepted and used by the Vikes, which was a major reason for their team success.

"Those teams didn't just adopt that philosophy; they lived and breathed it. That's half the battle. You can say anything, but if your team doesn't buy in, there won't be success. Thankfully, for us, they bought it, and it paid dividends."

Shields' coaching journey soon expanded beyond Canada. His expertise took him to Japan, where he spent two years coaching professional teams.

From there, Shields accomplished many feats internationally. He coached the Canadian men's national team from 1990-1994, worked with the Australian national team at the 2004 Athens Olympics, coached the Georgian national team, and helped prepare the British women鈥檚 team for the 2012 London Olympics.

His influence spanned continents, and his coaching philosophy remained rooted in the values he learned as a young player: hard work, adaptability, and resilience.

One of Shields' greatest strengths was his ability to connect with players on a personal level. He believed in building trusting relationships, ensuring that athletes not only developed their skills but also grew as individuals. His practices were intense, preparing players for crucial game moments, but he always made sure they enjoyed the process.

Reflecting on his journey, he still finds it hard to believe. 鈥淚 grew up in a gym without basketballs,鈥� he mused. 鈥淎nd now, look where this sport has been able to take me.鈥�

Shields has solidified his legacy through numerous prestigious honours and inductions.

In 1993, he was inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame. His remarkable achievements were further recognized with his induction into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998, the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2013, he was inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame alongside his wife, the legendary UVic women鈥檚 head coach, Kathy Shields.

Nowadays, the Cadboro Bay resident still finds himself a proud supporter of the Vikes, continuing his athletic activities by golfing in the Victoria area.

He may have started as a hockey kid, but basketball became his true calling. And in the process, he changed the lives of countless athletes, proving that sometimes, the most unexpected paths lead to the most extraordinary destinations.