Kendyl Shelestynsky

No Hands, No Excuses: The Resilient Rise of Kendyl Shelestynsky

From childhood sports sampler to national medalist, Kendyl’s built her game — and her grit — one comeback at a time.

Every athlete’s story starts with a moment of discovery. For Kendyl Shelestynsky, it started when her parents cycled her through every sport imaginable — the usual Canadian sampler pack: a bit of this, a bit of that, a little chaos, a lot of gym time. But one game stuck. “Basketball became my favourite,” she says. “I loved the pace, the competition — all of it.” By Grade 7, she wasn’t dreaming small. “That’s when I knew I wanted to play at the college level.”

The path there wasn’t clean. It never is. Kendyl’s had more than her share of injuries, each one forcing her to find new ways to grow while her body caught up. “Every time I was sidelined, I had to work harder,” she says. “I learned to improve mentally and find different ways to stay sharp.”

All that resilience came full circle last season, when the Lightning made it all the way to the National Championship game. “That’s a moment I’ll never forget,” she says. “All the practices, the tough games, the wins and losses — it all felt worth it when we came home with that silver medal.” You can tell she still tastes the edge of it — proud, but not satisfied.

This season, the mission is simple: go back and win gold. “The thing that keeps me going,” Kendyl says, “is knowing that all the hard work and dedication will pay off somehow. Success to me is being able to look back with no regrets — knowing I gave everything.”

Off the court, Kendyl lives the balance every athlete craves. She loves traveling, hiking, cooking new recipes, and spending time with family and friends. When things get too loud — school, basketball, life — she resets by walking in nature with music in her ears, just enough to clear her head. Her teammates will tell you her most underrated skill isn’t mental toughness, though — it’s her bizarre ability to stand up from the floor with no hands. “It’s a weird flex,” she laughs. “But apparently it’s impressive.”

Her advice to younger players sounds like something she earned the hard way:

“Everyone’s path is different — and that’s okay. You’re never too far behind to reach your goals.”

That’s the thing about Kendyl Shelestynsky — she’s built out of resilience and perspective. Whether she’s fighting through injury, chasing a title, or literally springing back to her feet, she keeps proving the same thing: there’s no right path, just the one you’re willing to keep walking — no hands required.