| WINNIPEG (November 14, 2024) – Racquetball Canada is proud to announce the team that will represent the country at the upcoming International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships. The event will be held in Guatemala City, Guatemala, from December 6 to 14, 2024. “Racquetball Canada is proud to send a team of talented and dedicated athletes to the World Juniors, supported by a highly experienced coaching staff with a strong background in international competition, and a committed group of parents encouraging each athlete,” said said Jennifer Saunders, Racquetball Canada’s High Performance Director. “I hope each team member fully appreciates this opportunity, develops both as an athlete and as an individual, and competes to their fullest potential.” The athletes earned their spots on the team through their performances at Racquetball Canada’s 2024 National Championships in May. Many team members have previously represented Canada at the World Junior Championships, bringing valuable experience to this year’s lineup. The World Junior Championships will be available for viewing on the Pan Am Sports Channel and the IRF’s YouTube and Facebook pages, starting with the Opening Ceremony on December 6. To learn more about each athlete and their competitive achievements, visit their biographies by clicking on their names. Links to draws and results will be available starting December 6 on both the International Racquetball Federation and Racquetball Canada websites. Girl’s Team  Ofelia Wilscam – Repentigny, Québec 18U Girl’s Singles & Doubles, 18U Mixed Doubles Ofelia Wilscam has competed at the Junior National Championship level since 2015. In 2018, Wilscam was named to the Junior National Team and represented Canada at the World Junior Championships where she won bronze in 14U Girl’s Doubles. Since then, she has competed at four more World Junior Championships, wining bronze in 18U Mixed Doubles in 2022. Wilscam has been on the podium in her age division on seven occasions at the junior national level, winning gold three times in singles and once in doubles.  Chloé Jauvin – Terrebonne, Québec 18U Girl’s Singles & Doubles, 21U Mixed Doubles Chloé Jauvin has represented Canada at three World Junior Championships, winning bronze in 2023 in 16U Mixed Doubles and in 2021 in the 14U Girls Singles division. Jauvin has been competing at the national level since 2015. In total, she has been on the podium six times, winning gold twice in her junior singles age division and once in her junior age division in doubles. Jauvin was the recipient of the Heather Stupp Award in 2022, which recognizes a junior female athlete for sportsmanship on and off the court.  Kaitlyn Couckuyt – Brandon, Manitoba 16U Girl’s Singles & Doubles, 16U Mixed Doubles Kaitlyn Couckuyt discovered racquetball at age 9 through a “learn to play” class, where her enthusiasm for the sport took root from day one. Despite being the only female athlete in her training group, Couckuyt remained dedicated and has achieved success. Her performance at the 2024 National Championships secured her a position on Canada’s Junior National Team, and she’s now set to represent Canada at the upcoming World Championships.  Lahni Buller – Grande Prairie, Alberta 16U Girl’s Singles & Doubles Lahni Buller has been a national junior-level competitor since 2021. She has earned a spot on the podium four times, including a gold medal in the 14U singles event at the 2022 championships. Buller’s ninth-place finish in the Women’s Open division at the 2024 National Championships, led to her first selection for the national development team. She is competing in her first World Junior Championships. Boy’s Team  Christian Pocsai – New Hamburg, Ontario 21U Boy’s Singles & Doubles, 21U Mixed Doubles Christian Pocsai made his debut at the Junior National Championship’s in 2015, quickly showing promise by winning a bronze medal in Boys’ 14U Doubles at age 11. Since then, he has consistently performed at a high level, earning nine medals across singles and doubles at the junior national level. This success culminated in 2024, when he claimed his first Canadian Open Championship title, winning gold in Men’s Open Doubles. Pocsai has represented Canada at five World Junior Championships, earning bronze medals in Mixed 18U Doubles in 2022 and Boys’ 18U Doubles in 2021.  Naman Gauri – Lethbridge, Alberta 21U Boy’s Singles & Doubles Naman Gauri began his journey in the junior ranks at the age of 10 in Lethbridge, Alberta. Over the years, he has consistently made his mark as a podium contender in both singles and doubles divisions. A standout moment in his junior career came in 2023 when he clinched the gold medal in Boys’ 21U Singles. Gauri has proudly represented Canada at three World Junior Championships, competing in 2017, 2019, and 2023.  Leyton Gouldie – Brandon, Manitoba 18U Boy’s Singles & Doubles, 18U Mixed Doubles Leyton Gouldie has been steadily progressing towards a top podium finish at the junior national level, culminating in a gold medal in the 18U Boys’ Singles division at the 2024 championships. Throughout his career, Gouldie has reached the podium nine times at the junior national level. In 2022 Gouldie won a bronze medal in Boys’ 16U Doubles at the World Junior Championships.  Chase Holowachuk – Windsor, Ontario 18U Boy’s Singles & Doubles Chase Holowachuk is a talented multi-sport athlete. 2023 marked a standout year for Chase: he earned his first spot on Racquetball Canada’s Junior National Team and is set to represent Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championships. Additionally, he was recruited by George Brown College in Toronto, where he played his debut season as a pitcher for the George Brown Huskies baseball team.  Raphaël Guillemette – Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Quebec 16U Boy’s Singles & Doubles, 16U Mixed Doubles Raphaël Guillemette has been competing at the junior national level since 2015. He first qualified for the junior national team in 2021 and has represented Canada at two World Junior Championships, earning bronze medals on both occasions: in 2021 in the 16U Boy’s Doubles and in 2023 in the 16U Mixed Doubles. At the junior national level, Guillemette has been on the podium five times, with four of those medals being gold.  Asher Pocsai – New Hamburg, Ontario 16U Boy’s Singles & Doubles Asher Pocsai entered his first Junior National Championships at just eight years old. He earned a place on the Junior National Team in 2019 and has represented Canada at four Junior World Championship events, capturing bronze medals in Boys’ 16U Doubles in 2022 and Boys’ 14U Doubles in 2021. At the junior national level Pocsai has won four gold, two silver, and three bronze medals in singles across multiple age groups. In doubles, he has achieved three gold and one silver medal. Team Staff  Michel Gagnon – Head Coach, Longueuil, Québec Michel Gagnon has coached Team Canada in elite international competitions over 35 times, most often serving as the Head Coach. Under his leadership, Canada has achieved numerous podium finishes, including gold medal results. Gagnon is a multiple-time recipient of the Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award and has also been honoured with Racquetball Canada’s Ivan Velan Award in the coach category as well as the Coaching Award.  Kurtis Cullen – Assistant Coach, Brandon, Manitoba Kurtis Cullen will make his international coaching debut at the 2024 World Junior Championships. With extensive experience in high performance competition as both an athlete and official representing Canada on the international stage, Kurtis brings a wealth of expertise to this role. He has successfully established a successful junior program in Brandon and contributes to Racquetball Canada as a coach trainer.  Malissa Gauthier – Team Manager, Windsor, Ontario Malissa Gauthier will be an asset to our team, offering invaluable support to both athletes and coaches. With firsthand experience as a parent of high-performance athletes, she possesses an understanding of the demands of elite sport. Professionally, as the CFO and Vice President of Corporate and Laboratory Services at Windsor Regional Hospital, Malissa brings exceptional leadership that will enhance our team’s effectiveness. About Racquetball Canada  Racquetball Canada is the National Sport Organization for the sport of racquetball. As a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, our mission is to coordinate, govern and encourage the advancement of racquetball from the grassroots to the elite level across Canada. Our vision is to be a visible, vibrant sport enjoyed coast to coast by Canadians of all ages and abilities. Media Contact : Jan Hanson Communications, Diversity & Safe Sport Director communications@racquetballcanada.ca |
Racquetball Canada’s Announces Junior World Championships Team
