Argos WR Gittens Jr. looks to Gittens Sr. for inspiration every time he hits the field

By Sarah Said

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Meeting Toronto Argonauts wide receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. feels like reuniting with an old friend.

“Did you go to Laurier?” He asked when we shook hands. I told him I didn’t, but was equally convinced we’d somehow known each other before — likely because his story is a familiar one that many can relate to.

Like a lot of Canadians, Gittens Jr. came to this country at a young age. At just nine years old, he emigrated from Guyana to Ottawa and was faced with adapting to a completely new environment.

“It was nerve racking because when I first came to Canada, my English wasn't the best,” he said. “And I thought I was going to be judged by the way I spoke.”

He remembers life in Guyana as being full of play. From cricket to track, Gittens Jr. says he would stay out with his friends after school until he had to run home late at night. 

“That made us happy, you know what I mean? That's what kind of kept us going each and every day.”

And as a child having just moved to Canada, playing sports remained a way for him to connect with other people. 

“It was a way to be myself, meet friends, and build relationships. And it just made me feel more comfortable and allowed me to be me.”

Still, Gittens Jr. didn't start playing tackle football until grade nine when he joined a local Ottawa-based team called the Cumberland Panthers. But once he finally hit the gridiron, he says it was love at first sight.

“Man, I just fell in love with the game,” he said. “I knew I just wanted to be the best player that I could be playing football. So, I just dedicated myself. I didn't even know at the time it was dedication, it was just a love for something you want to be good at.”

He remembers his first touchdown well. It came on a sunny day mid-way through his first season with the Panthers, after running down the sideline for around 50 yards. 

“My parents were on the sidelines, so it was cool,” he said. “Getting in the end zone is hard, so for me, it was a great feeling.”

Family is an important part of Gittens Jr.’s life. This is especially true when it comes to his connection with his father, who he’s named after. 

“In university, he used to come to pretty much all the home games or away games, depending on how far it [was] from Ottawa,” he said. “I know he's proud of me and proud of what I've accomplished so far.”

Those accomplishments include being voted the 2021 Toronto Argonauts Most Outstanding Canadian, ranking second in the league last year among Canadian receivers, being named a CFL East Division All-Star, and being a two-time All-Canadian and four-time OUA All-Star. And during his time as a Golden Hawk at Wilfrid Laurier University, Gittens Jr. became the leading receiver in school history, catching 200 passes in 31 regular-season games and scoring 15 touchdowns.

Gittens Jr. says that even the way he celebrates a touchdown is connected to his dad. When he reaches the end zone, he holds the ball up to his ear with one hand as though it is part of a pair of headphones and pretends he’s working a turntable like a DJ would with the other, in honour of him. 

“My dad's actually a DJ when he doesn't barber,” he said. “So when I score a touchdown, I want to show him a little appreciation.”  

He says his dad plays a range of music, including dancehall, hip hop, and R&B. And when I asked him about his own playlist, Gittens Jr. mentioned a song called CONGA by rapper Meek Mill and artist Leslie Grace. 

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When listening to it, his father’s influence shines through. The song is a mix of a classic 1980s crowd pleaser by Gloria Estefan and catchy rap—a perfect blend of old and new.  

And the generational ties don’t end there. In 2019, Gittens Jr. welcomed his now two-and-a-half-year-old baby girl named Logan, who is also starting to develop her own appetite for a good tune. 

“Right now she's on a Taylor Swift vibe,” he laughed. “She's a jokester.”

Gittens Jr. says Logan loves to have fun until she’s tired out, just like he used to and that being her father has changed how he approaches football. 

“You're not just playing for yourself but for your family, you add motivation on top of what your motivation already is,” he said. “At the end of the day, it is just being able to give her the best life that I wanted as a kid.”

He says his approach to accomplishing that for her is to never stop trying.

“A winner doesn't always win. It's about how you approach the things that you're not winning at.”