It started out as a pastime for Sandeep Singh Kaila, but over 14 years, the Abbotsford, B.C. resident has turned it into a life-changing career of international renown.
While living in India, Kaila realized he had a very particular set of skills — spinning sports balls on his fingertips, and sometimes, off of a stick he holds in his mouth. It was accident he discovered while juggling.
“Slowly, slowly, balls started spinning on my finger,” he told Global News. “I practiced, practiced, practiced too much.”
In the highly-competitive field of sports ball-spinning Kaila is now near the top.
Over the years, he has set seven different Guinness World Records. Four have been broken but he still holds three titles: “Longest time to spin a rugby ball on one finger,” “Longest time to spin an American football on one finger,” and “Longest duration spinning a basketball on a toothbrush.”
“I think it’s an unbreakable record,” he said of the latter. “I am also trying to break it and I couldn’t do.”
His unique talent has landed him many guest spots and interviews and a feature in the annual Guinness World Record book.
“There was nothing for me to do and I wanted to be famous,” he explained. “I wanted to become famous in the world.”
Kaila said he taught himself how to spin by watching videos online.
His YouTube channel now documents his entire spinning career, including all of his performances and the unveiling each time a new Guinness certificate arrives in the mail.
“I feel very proud,” he said. “Even my family, my villagers, and my Punjabi community here, they’re proud of me very much.”
Kaila continues to attempt to break his own records and is planning to set a few new ones for spinning a rugby ball on pencil tip and toothbrush, and spinning an American football on his left and right index fingers simultaneously.
He always plans his record-breaking attempts on days of significance in Canada, like Remembrance Day or Canada Day, he said.
“Being a Canadian citizen, I want to dedicate all my records on Canadian historical days,” he explained. “Dedicated to Canadian people, Canadian nation.”
He’s already passed the online screening to audition for America’s Got Talent, he added, calling it a “dream” to appear on the show once the pandemic passes. He plans to spin three basketballs on fire and an American football while blindfolded.
Meanwhile, he’s learning to spin all manner of different sports balls on different objects. He said he’s working on a trick with a tablet and a volleyball.
“Sometimes if I got out into the public space I just take a ball and start spinning. People around me are watching as I shoot my videos,” he laughed.
“Until I die, I will do it.”
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