Lee Connell has found inherent satisfaction through the minor moments of his racquetball career, a twist to an athlete’s usual goal of seeking accolades. 

For Connell, sport is more than the external reward of reaching the top of the podium, it is process of bettering oneself and finding enjoyment while on the court. That intrinsic motivation, in addition to reaching for constant improvement, has aided his overall experience as an athlete.  

“You know, I’m 42 years old, I don’t know if it’s possible for me to get better, but I don’t care if it’s possible or not. I’m trying to get better all the time, whether I can or not, that is always what I’m trying to do…the only way I got to where I have is because of hard work and joy.” 

That perspective and personal philosophy has resulted in the self-professed underdog reaching success on the national and international stages. Connell has secured six Canadian medals, in addition to a silver at the 2022 World Championships.  

But Connell admits there have been moments when joy is deferred during competition. 

Looking back to his first World Championships in 2021, Connell was overcome by nerves and recalls being terrified ahead of his match.  

“It was in pool play and winning that match would have made for a much more favourable medal round draw, but I just wasn’t quite able to pull it out. I blame the nerves for a lot of that. I was nervous and there was the pressure of not wanting to let my country down.” 

That pressure of wanting to represent Canada the best he can remains, but Connell has since expanded his mental performance toolbox and restructured how he views pre-competition nerves, which assisted in his 2022 World Championship second-place finish and more.  

At the beginning of April, while attending the 2026 Pan Am Championships in Guatemala City, Connell felt more at peace ahead of his matches, stating that the nerves weren’t debilitating like they once were. 

“I’m just trying to learn to enjoy the nerves. The nerves are fun, it’s a rollercoaster. If you like rollercoasters you go down a rollercoaster and you get butterflies in your stomach and that’s a great feeling. And those nerves make those butterflies too,” he shared. “In a perfect world I wouldn’t want to be nervous, but there is a joy to it. It’s your body telling you that you’re alive.” 

Enjoying the experience of the competition and taking what you can from it rather than solely focusing on the outcome is just one of the many lessons that Connell has learned over his career. It’s knowledge that continues to serve him well, including after suffering a loss at the Pan American Championships in what Connell asserts as one of the best matches he had ever played. 

“If I just focus on the fact that I didn’t win, then I am losing a lot of what can be gained from that experience. It’s not constructive to not see the big picture of that.” 

And that’s what makes the journey in sport so special for Connell, learning that a successful career is defined by more than the medals he wins, but through his own happiness and knowing that a medal does not signify the quality of player he is.  

“Even for the best athlete, if they’re trying to get as good as they possibly can get, there is much more good to achieve by looking at it that way. Winning is great obviously. We’re all trying to win, all the time and I will take a win…but there is so much more to be gained by looking at the bigger picture and always trying to pursue being the best you can be.”