Track & Field: An interview with Kamilla Haidaienko

Sewanee Track & Field has had a lot of exciting success starting off their spring season under new Coach Michael Curcio. With new school records being set, new recruitments and triumphs, this team is on a clear path to success. Although there are many different aspects of the program to highlight, the Sewanee Athletic wanted to provide a spotlight to one member of the team in particular. With a very unique story, junior Kamilla Haidaienko agreed to an interview with us to shed light on her life experiences. Her story is one that stands out to many on the domain as she is an international student hailing from Odesa, a small port city, in Ukraine. Kamilla, in our interview, explained how she came to the US as a high school student, her new experiences as a Sewanee athlete and the intricacies of navigating a home far away from war waged home.  

RK: Tell me about where you're from, your story and how you found Sewanee.

KH: I was born and raised in Odesa, a port city in Ukraine. I first visited the US as an exchange student in Idaho actually. After graduating, I became a finalist in an incredible organization: Ukraine Global Scholars. This foundation looks for highly accomplished Ukrainian students and assists them in applying to undergraduate programs in the US. They were the ones to put Sewanee on my radar at the time. 

RK: Why did you choose Sewanee? 

KH: I was, and still am, a very interdisciplinary person. Sewanee attracted me because I could essentially study anything and everything, keep exploring disciplines, make connections between "unrelated" fields, have a very personalized education, and get involved as a student leader too. I have to admit, however, a very generous financial aid package is what sealed the deal for me. 

RK: What is it like being an international student at Sewanee? 

KH: Being an international student means to be part of a very selective, driven, and tight-knit community within Sewanee. International students are my Sewanee family. On the other side though, it also means struggling with being largely stranded on the Domain, and relying on other people and our own resourcefulness to find transportation, access to services, and connections to the outside world. It's also been quite a challenge for me as I have been heavily affected by russian war against Ukraine, while the majority of our campus goes undisturbed by global politics. 

RK: How has being so far from home during such a politically heavy time affected you? How has the war affected your home?

KH: That’s a hard question, but the one I wish I could share more often with people who don’t know me well. Physically, both myself and my immediate family have not been hurt in the 2 years of war. Yet, all my family members still live in Ukraine, in cities within 1-3 hours from the frontlines. There, bombings happen up to several times a day. 20 people were killed and about 80 injured within miles from my house earlier this week. My uncle is also currently at the frontlines. Even though war is far away, my family’s safety is always on my mind, as my life’s stability obviously depends on it. Emotionally, it’s quite drowning even if I don’t bring it up often. 

[Odesa has been a target for multiple attacks from Russian missile strikes since the war with Ukraine began. However, on March 15th, Odesa was subject to the worst Russian airstrike yet killing 20 and injuring 70 - Reuters] 

RK: What do you wish Sewanee students better understood about where you're from? 

KH: I think a lot of people see me as generally a very “tough” and fearless person and connect it to where I come from. I wish they understood that I was an entirely arbitrary girl, just like any other person from the US, until russia attacked us. Neither I, nor anybody else chose to or wanted to be who we’ve become, and really all we want still is to live a peaceful, “normal” life, whatever that might mean.

RK: Did you play a sport/on any teams when you were living in Odesa?

KH: Yes, I’ve played volleyball since middle school, and was my high school’s team captain back home. I did compete in Track & Field as well, but not on a serious level.

RK: I know you are on the Track & Field team but what made you want to join the team in the first place? 

KH: I joined Track and Field only this year, as a junior. Partly, it happened thanks to persuasive encouragement of our new coaches. I was also myself looking for outlets for my energy and had regretted not joining Sewanee's Volleyball team during freshman year, so Track found me in the right place and at the right time.

RK: What sports did you play before and how did they prepare you for your role on the Track & Field team? 

KH: My main sport actually remains volleyball. Last year, I started the Sewanee Club Volleyball team and am currently the organization's president. Volleyball has granted me good coordination, speed, and upper body strength. But more importantly, I have learned to be a team player, to put in the work, and to be very competitive. 

RK: What does it mean to you to be a Sewanee Tiger (athlete)? 

KH: It's an honor and a big commitment. I am excited to represent the school on a non-academic level for the first time. I get to be part of a community that I have not been hugely involved in. In general, the academic circles do not overlap too often with the athletic ones, and now I understand why: being on a team is an incredibly large time commitment. I also consider myself a very active student leader on campus. For example, I have been representing the class of 2025 on the Honor Council for 3 years now, among other things. It is important to me to understand the perspectives of various student groups by experiencing their life myself. 

RK: What do you think the program will look like in four years? 

KH: I have seen a lot more interest in athletics from the student population. There have also been great additions in the coaching staff, including two new coaches for our team, so I am very hopeful that Sewanee can retain the experienced staff, which would attract more talented athletes to the Mountain in the years to come as well. 

RK: Are there any goals you and the team have for the upcoming season? 

KH: Track & Field is a very individualistic sport so competing against ourselves is our main objective. But also, we have closed the 2024 indoor season with 3 new school records, which says a lot. Going into outdoor competitions, we are staying focused and also building a new attitude towards the sport at Sewanee. I am thankful to the coaches for building up the team spirit and showing what we are really capable of. It's going to be a great season!

After only joining this year, Kamilla has been an integral part of the Sewanee Track & Field team. She is a thrower, throwing 8.97m and 9.49m in shot put for the Tiger Invitational placing 15th back in January. Then in February at the Sewanee Indoor Meet, Haidaienko placed 6th in shot put. 

It was such a pleasure to be able to facilitate this interview and learn more about Kamilia’s story and her home. Along with everyone else, I am excited to see her success continue on the Track & Field team.