Leyton Gouldie

Start in racquetball:  I got started with racquetball by seeing it one day in my community Sportsplex and giving it a try. I then decided to take up lessons and have played ever since – taking the sport more competitive each year.

Reason for playing: I enjoy competing and athletics in general and racquetball is a great mix of power, precision, strength, conditioning and mental fortitude. I love how fast paced the game is and its aggressive nature allowing you to win the rally from virtually anywhere on the court.

Training habits: During competition months from about September to end of May I play racquetball any chance I get, usually playing more than 5 times per week. Along with consistent hitting sessions both on my own and with my coach Kurtis I keep a gym schedule of about 3 times per week. In addition to this I play a variety of other sports for conditioning such as tennis, badminton, curling, and pickleball. During the summer months I put a much larger emphasis on strength training and workout at least 5 days per week while playing racquetball around 3 days per week. I also take the summer months to run and play other sports to enhance my conditioning.

Best racquetball memory: My best racquetball moment is winning a bronze medal at the 2022 World Junior Championships in Guatemala in doubles with Asher Pocsai. After losing to Costa Rica in tiebreaker during the round robin to come back and beat them in 4 games in the playoffs was extremely rewarding and bringing home a medal for Canada was an extremely fulfilling experience.

Non-racquetball talents:  Some of my non-racquetball talents are I am an excellent curler having competed at junior provincials this past year. Another hidden talent of mine is solving Rubik’s cubes. I can solve a Rubik’s cube in under 15 seconds.

If I’m not playing racquetball: I’m playing another sport. I love to be busy and especially during the summer months will almost always be playing another sport. Whether it’s tennis, pickleball, squash or golf, I love to be active.

A fact about me that most people don’t know: I am avid hunter and go deer hunting every year with my dad.

My advice for other athletes: The most important thing to become an athlete at my level in any sport is consistency and hard work. I believe that even if you aren’t practicing the right things or even the right technique, if you put in the hours week in and week out with maximum effort you will get to an extremely high level.

Who has been important in my development? By far the most important person in my racquetball development has been Kurtis Cullen. He has worked with me for the past 7 years and has been crucial in aiding my racquetball both technically and strategically while also being great competition to strive to beat. Not only has he been great help in my training but has also coached me during matches and has undoubtedly enabled me to win matches at the national level that I otherwise wouldn’t have won.