Racquetballers Gouldie, Cullen to represent Canada
Kurtis Cullen and Leyton Gouldie are about to embark on what might be one of the most significant international competitions of their racquetball careers.
The two are training partners and have become good friends and were set to arrive in Guatemala at 5 a.m. this morning for the International Racquetball Federation Pan Am Championships that get underway this weekend.
It’s Gouldie’s first international competition as a member of the senior national team.
And it will likely be Cullen’s last international competition on that same team.
After a three-year stint among the nation’s best, Cullen plans to step back, albeit slightly, from the game’s highest level.
Cullen plans to retire from national competition following nationals in six weeks.
He came to the difficult decision after the national team selection event in Brandon in early December. He’s turning 33 and has achieved what he once considered unlikely.
“I’m playing the best I’ve ever played, but realistically and financially it doesn’t really support a family,” said Cullen.
“I got married last summer and my wife is graduating in May and about to become a psych nurse. The next step is likely having kids. I still love the sport and always will, but to compete at that level takes a tremendous amount of effort and time just to maintain that level of play,” said Cullen.
Call it a passing of the torch.
Call it what you will.
What isn’t up for debate is the remarkable feat of two of the top-ranked Canadians in this week’s competition calling the Wheat City home.
The Pan Am Championships mark a return trip to Guatemala City as the pair were there just this past December for the World Junior Championships.
The two have been training nearly every day for the past month, honing their game ahead of the international tournament.
“When I first made the national team I was 30 years old and ecstatic. For Leyton to be 18, having just turned 19, and make it to this level, it warms my heart and is very cool to see,” said Cullen.
“He broke ahead of the pack at 13, I took him under my wing and here he is, and here we both are going to an international competition together, so it’s really cool.”
No stranger to national and international competition, Cullen has been on the national team and around the sport for the majority of his life. But for Gouldie, who’s been on the national development team, it will be his first time representing Canada as a member of the senior men’s national team.
Neither of the two are feeling nervous, Cullen because he’s been on the stage multiple times before and Gouldie because he grew up in competition in racquetball and other sports.
Rather than nerves, both are feeling confident in their games and excited to compete against the best from other countries.
“It’s incredible. I wasn’t really expecting for this to happen at the start of the year. I had two good tournaments and it kicked things into high gear,” said Gouldie.
“It hasn’t really sunk in. I’ve been so busy with school that I haven’t had too much time to think about it, but I’ve been practising pretty much every day, so it’s felt real that way, but I’m mostly just excited for the opportunity to represent Canada on the senior team.”
Gouldie has represented Canada as a junior, and recently as a few months ago. He competed in the junior world championships in December, but since then he’s been busy in other aspects of life as well.
He recently completed a few exams in Brandon University’s faculty of science in just his first year of post-secondary school, and he’ll have even more exams when he returns.
Balancing the demands of all aspects of life seems like a manageable task when part of it is competing on behalf of his country.
“To have the prestige that comes with this opportunity is very cool,” said Gouldie. “I feel so proud of what I’ve been able to do to get to this point that it’s all just extra. I’ve played and been competitive from such a young age that I don’t really get nervous anymore … I’m more excited than nervous at this point.”
“I love competing and any chance I get to do that excites me,” Gouldie added.
“I’m playing some of the best racquetball I’ve played and continually improving so I feel that I’m in as good of a place as I can be right now.”
The bond the two have created will hopefully help as well.
They won’t be directly competing together, as Cullen will be playing men’s doubles with Trevor Webb of Kitchener, Ont.
The two played against each other in the third-place game that served as the Team Canada selection event at the Brandon Classic at the Sportsplex in early December.
Since then, both Cullen and Gouldie have spent many hours back at the Sportsplex preparing for what will serve as a monumental occasion in both their careers.
“So much of racquetball is just repeating skills over and over, but to play games against someone like Kurtis helps so much. He usually still kicks my butt, but having him to train with has been so crucial and been such a huge part of getting me to where I’m at,” said Gouldie.
Cullen sees the effort Gouldie has put into his young career and believes this weekend’s event is just the beginning for what could be a lengthy and successful international career.
“As long as he keeps working hard and training hard he could absolutely surpass what I’ve accomplished,” said Cullen.
“To be where he’s at and at his age, he’s only going to get better. There’s absolutely no reason why he couldn’t become one of the best players to ever come out of Canada. I’ll always be in his corner and pulling for him, too, no matter what.”
The official schedule and bracket for the Pan Am Championships will be released on Friday following the coaches’ meeting in Guatemala City.
Games can be seen live on the International Racquetball Federation’s YouTube channel.
» mpackwood@brandonsun.com
