Couckuyt thriving as multi-sport athlete

It’s one thing to play multiple sports at a time, but to be dominant in them — well, that’s another story. That’s Kaitlyn Couckuyt’s story.

The 17-year-old Vincent Massey senior has practically checked off every box there is when it comes to sport, as she’s competed in soccer, hockey, gymnastics, softball, basketball, volleyball, and the biggest of them all, racquetball. But, through it all, just being an average player never cut it.

At the age of nine, Couckuyt discovered racquetball while she was “watching” her brother KC play hockey at the Sportsplex. In her case, watching the game meant doing nothing of the sort, but luckily for her, that’s what sparked a lifelong passion.

“I was always kind of dragged to the rink to go watch him play hockey, so when I saw the courts there, I was always looking for something to do, so I kind of tried it out, and I learned to play, and I just kind of fell in love with it and have played ever since.

“It was just something new and completely different. I played a lot of sports growing up, and it was unlike any other sports that I’ve played before, so I think that was just really appealing to me, and like the fast-paced speed of the game is not what I was used to playing in the other sports.”

Couckuyt’s parents enrolled her in the “learn to play” program, where she was the only female athlete among a small bunch of kids, but nonetheless, she trained tirelessly and is now becoming a winning machine.

The Brandonite has impressively brought home hardware three years in a row at the Junior National Racquetball Championships in the girls singles category: one at the 14U level and two at 16U. Her first victory in the latter age group also earned her a spot to make her debut for Team Canada at the 2024 World Junior Racquetball Championships in Guatemala City.

There, Couckuyt managed to reach the quarterfinals in the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles divisions despite the nerves of playing on the world stage for the first time in her career. In September, she was named to Racquetball Canada’s National Women’s Developmental team for her valiant efforts over the last number of years.

“I don’t want to say it was a shock at first because I had known for a while that was definitely something I was working toward, and it was a big opportunity that I was going to have, but I was just super excited to find out that news,” Couckuyt said. “I put in a lot of work and effort to get here, and I was definitely looking forward to it, so it’s just like a great opportunity to be able to play on Team Canada and travel across the country to play a sport.”

In addition to her winning pedigree in racquetball, Couckuyt’s also been a huge piece of the puzzle on the Vikings volleyball squad. The setter was able to help Vincent Massey clinch its first-ever provincial championship title last season and has picked up where she left off to start this year, as the Vikings find themselves near the top in the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association AAAA Tier.

Couckuyt plays both racquetball and volleyball six times a week, trains in the gym four days a week, and has a few AP courses to go along with an already packed school schedule. Though it’s a lot of commitments to balance, for Couckuyt, it’s just business as usual.

“They’ve both been a big part of my life for so long, so I’ve just gotten used to it,” she said. “I find it really hard to like choose between the two sports, so I’m just happy that I can still play both right now.

“There’s definitely some long days, most days are, like, I’m up early studying or doing something and then not getting home till 10 (p.m.) after practice sometimes, but, you know, I enjoy every moment of it, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Couckuyt’s constant drive to be on top is unlike most, but it still comes from a central motivator: family. She said her brother has been a big part of what she’s tried to build toward as an athlete.

“When my brother was young, he tried out all the sports too and was really passionate about hockey, so I was at the hockey rink almost every single day, and I just saw that he had this kind of drive to be the best that he could be,” said Couckuyt. “I think it really pushed me to try my hardest too, and just like seeing my older brother trying his hardest to be the best that he could, I probably wanted to follow in his footsteps.

“It’s just great to look back on everything and realize how far I’ve come. Every day that I’m on the courts, I’m working towards another goal or another team to be made, and that’s kind of a big motivation piece for me is just to know that I’ll be playing for Team Canada, so I’ve got to, like, put in the work just to do as best as I can.”

Couckuyt is set to represent the maple leaf for the second time in her racquetball career at the world junior championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from Dec. 5 to 13. She is also supposed to be in Brossard, Que., next week for the first of two Canada selection events but will not be attending due to school commitments.

She was hoping she would be able to make it but has found peace in the fact she can’t always be two places at once.

“I’m a pretty busy person with all that I do,” she said. “I definitely wished I could make it because it’s never fun to miss anything, but I’ve learned kind of over the years, that’s part of life sometimes.”

» mdelucataronno@brandonsun.com