There is a reason for everything.

Some may see things like dedication and preferences, choices and decisions, as influencing factors in the day-to-day challenges of life.

For Omar Miles, what became crystal clear were personable matters like relationships, education, inclusion and comfort.

Miles thrived on playing basketball in high school and was chosen Athlete of the Year in his teen days at Toronto's Silverthorn Collegiate. The game of hoops was appealing – a way of keeping him physically active, mentally focused and aware of his surroundings.

Benefitting from knowledge and experience, Miles was picked to Team Ontario and was a point guard on the squad that won the Canadian championship back in 2000. Year after year, he sparkled at the sport and was the pick of the tournament, awarded the prize of Most Valuable Player.

In the spotlight, aware of the accolades, Miles said his biggest achievement, next to his family, was not basketball. It was making the choice to get an education at Wilfrid Laurier University.

“Oh, looking back – those were some great years of my life,” he said. “You come out of high school, and you have to make a choice on what's next in education? It can be tough for a lot of people. For me, it was about what I wanted to study, relationships, being involved in the community and there was athletic recognition, too.”

There's more.

“When I visited Laurier, I could feel the positive impact of the culture of the campus,” said Miles. “The small university was one thing, but everyone seemed so friendly. I felt like I belonged there even before I got there. It was something I didn't experience at other universities. This was really something special.”

Miles recalls being one of two Black players on the Laurier basketball roster. 

“The color of skin was never an issue at Laurier,” he said. “On the basketball court, we were a team and a group of friends. The focus was on improvement, learning and winning.”

With February being Black History Month and a period of celebration, Miles is a firm believer that Laurier has become a leader in more ways than people may think.

“These days at Laurier, the majority of the (basketball) team is Black, there are Black athletes in many sports, Black students around the campus and I'm confident that understanding cultures makes Laurier one of the finest universities around – and where everyone is treated equally.”

Miles was at Laurier for five years. On the basketball court, he was a starter from the first day he arrived on campus. Chosen Laurier's basketball Rookie of the Year, he was also picked that same 2002/2003 season, to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-rookie all-star team.

“I remember going to Laurier as a teenager, gaining a wealth of knowledge and I left as a man knowing what I wanted to do in life – be a community leader,” he said. “Graduating with a degree was huge.”

Achievements galore, some were more special than others to Miles. There was the time he scored the winning free throws, including a team-high 27 points, in a thrilling upset victory over a highly ranked University of Western Ontario roster. In his fourth year, Miles was on Laurier's squad that made it to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) playoffs – a milestone and something that hasn't happened since that 2006 season.

“It wasn't just basketball, Laurier was awesome letting me build leadership skills and the Laurier experience helped me get into education, teaching and coaching,” said Miles, who obtained his teaching certification after studies in Australia.

A former teenage basketball player, these days Miles has become a respected community leader. Teaching special education and geography at a Brampton-area Catholic high school, Miles has a spot for the round ball, too. He's also Head Coach of the men's basketball program at Humber College in Toronto.

“I grew up in the Falstaff area of Toronto, and basketball is what you did,” he said. “It kept me out of trouble. I tell my friends and players, use basketball as a vehicle to accomplish your goals – and not basketball to use you., There's a huge difference.”

On a personal note, Miles sees Black History Month as “a time to celebrate Black people who came before me, their sacrifices, accomplishments and hard work. It's not something that ends in a month.”

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