One of the faces of the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association is leaving the competitive arena.
Kaylee Kilpatrick, a former MWBA MVP and dominating force with Saint John’s Port City Fog, will leave the country in September, bound for a new adventure in life and her career.
A former University of New Hampshire Wildcats’ star and veteran professional basketball player, Kilpatrick will be packing her bags for New Zealand.
She has landed a two-year teaching contract in Auckland, a major metropolitan New Zealand city, boasting a population of some 1.6-million.
Kilpatrick will teach science at a secondary school.
‘I’ve been working with a recruiting company called ep.education and they have connections with schools,’ said the affable Kilpatrick. ‘I interviewed and got the job. Flying out September 6, so it’s quite exciting.’
Kilpatrick is certainly familiar with international travel.
Following her outstanding National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I career with the Wildcats, Kilpatrick turned professional.
Her skillset took her to pro stops in Ireland, Australia and Germany.
In fact, she was anticipating a longer career in Germany, but we all know what happened when the world stopped.
‘I was abruptly pulled out of Germany at the start of the pandemic,’ said Kilpatrick. ‘I just found I still have the adventure bug.’
She will certainly be missed in MWBA circles, missed in her hometown of Saint John and missed in the classroom where she has been teaching – and coaching basketball – at Rothesay Netherwood School.
Kilpatrick leaves the MWBA as one of its all-time leading scorers, amassing 396 regular season points over three seasons with the Fog. That places her second behind all-time leader Karissa Kajorinne, who played two MWBA seasons before embarking on a professional career in Portugal. Kajorinne left with 400 points on the nose.
There are a number of flourishing women’s basketball leagues in New Zealand, but Kilpatrick is not packing her competitive sneakers.
‘I’m not looking to play in the New Zealand league, but I may play the odd pickup game here and there,’ she said. ‘I want to spend my time exploring the country and pursuing other hobbies.’
Her family and friends have become used to having Kilpatrick around again after her NCAA career and professional stops.
She loved being back home and suiting up for the Fog.
‘My MWBA experience has been great,’ she said. ‘It’s been really special to be able to play competitive ball at home in front of friends and family. And to be a role model for so many young girls in the community has been cool.’
She watched the league develop from scratch when it opened for play in 2022.
Kilpatrick’s name has been used in every MWBA team pre-game meeting to try and figure out a way to stop her from scoring or defending in the paint.
Not an easy assignment.
She was surprised with the quality of play in the league and has some ideas for the MWBA as she prepares to move.
‘It would be great to see more advertising funding so players could be compensated a bit more, but I hope the league continues to grow,’ she said. ‘Junior teams would be a good idea. More advertising to bring in even more community support. The MWBA is off to a great start. It would be great to see it continue to get bigger and better. It’s definitely highly competitive basketball.’
She plans to pack light for the trek to New Zealand with ‘my passport and everything else I can figure out,’ attitude.
That trek also means Kilpatrick is going to miss out on a huge personal milestone at home.
She was named to the Greater Saint John Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year. The Class of 2024 will be inducted later in the fall.
The Port City shrine is housed at TD Station.
The MWBA is certainly going to miss someone of Kilpatrick’s stature on and off the court.
She leaves as an all-time league great.
(DWinston Photo)