Five Questions With Karl Toulouse
Karl Toulouse (middle) – CKSN.ca Photo
A Wallaceburg, Ontario product, Toulouse is currently in his 19th season with the Raptors, and 3rd with the Lightning.
Toulouse, 45, has attended several schools following his graduation from Wallaceburg District Secondary School, including Sault College, Seneca College, and Western University.
A lacrosse official, and former college basketball player, Toulouse now lives in London, Ontario with his family.
Below are Karl Toulouse’s answers to CKSN’s Five Questions:
1. What is your career sports highlight/top memory?
The 2000-2001 NBA Playoffs; we beat New York in 5 games, and advanced to the Eastern Semi’s versus Philly. The Air Canada Centre was so ‘electric’ for that series – unbelievable excitement to be a part of that experience.
2. Who is your favourite professional sports team and athlete?
The Toronto Rock (NLL) and Isiah Thomas (Detroit Pistons).
3. If you could achieve one thing/goal in sports, what would it be?
Be Statistician for an NBA Championship Team.
4. Who has been your biggest sports influence and why?
A very difficult question to answer, because there have been so many positive influences in sports.
Coach Bill DuChene, who was my first ever Basketball Coach (AA Wright PS, Wallaceburg). He provided me with the fundamental skills to take my game to where I had hoped it could go.
Instead of hanging out on the streets and getting into trouble, he would often open up the gym where my friends and I could get together and play hoops on a Friday or Saturday night.
During my High School and College playing days, he was there to offer words of encouragement – he always supported me in my journey.
I remember the day that I told him that I had been hired as a Statistician with the Raptors; I think he was more excited than I was.
It was his influence that made me love the game for what it was – a game.
5. What do you love most about playing/being involved sports?
The feeling of being courtside at a basketball game never gets old. I still have the passion for the game, and the desire to do my best as a Statistician. I love the game and the people that I work with.
You know that you are in the right place when nobody needs to pay you to be there.
Five Questions is a weekly feature on the Chatham-Kent Sports Network. We’ll ask athletes from across Chatham-Kent Five Questions, and post their answers every week. If you know an athlete or coach we should question, or you’re an athlete or coach who would like to participate in “Five Questions,” please email us at ian@cksn.ca.