In the midst of so much uncertainty in these strange times, Lee Melymick knows one thing for sure and that’s his schedule for tomorrow. That’s just how far ahead he’s looking as he juggles basketball and school heading into the biggest summer of his young Team Canada career.
“I’m just focused on what’s in front of me right now,” said Melymick. “You can’t look too far ahead into the future. I’m trying to train hard and train smart and get the best out of what we do have today.”
The Toronto native hopes to compete at his first Paralympics in Tokyo come August, and he’s silencing any whispers of doubt about the Games going ahead as planned.
“I don’t think about it too much. I’m confident that everything will work out, that Tokyo will happen and there will be no issues. But I can’t worry about what I don’t know yet.”
Instead, Melymick goes about his business day-by-day with that busy schedule of his. It’s full of basketball practices, skill development and lifting sessions at the National Training Centre, sprinkled in with a few Team Canada training camps, along with an online course in chemical engineering at Ryerson University as Melymick slowly works towards completing his degree.
The 26-year-old is always learning – both on and off the court – and he’s certainly acquired some new skills in light of the past year.
“I’ve learned how to be more patient and be more adaptable and see where I’m maybe too rigid in some of my actions and thoughts. Being able to read and react to situations when everything changes and your whole plan disappears is a good skill to have.”
That ability to adapt is certainly being tested. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Melymick was coming off a breakout year in 2019. He had established himself as a starter with the Canadian Men’s National Team and captured a silver medal – and a Paralympic berth – for Canada at the Lima 2019 Parapan Am Games. He was later named the Wheelchair Basketball Canada Male Athlete of the Year. Melymick is striving to keep that forward momentum going despite the disruption of the pandemic.
“I’ve been working on some key areas of my game that I’ve been weak in. My core strength and stability – I think I’ve improved massively on that in the past year. It’s hard to tell right now whether that’s going to fully translate to 5-on-5 play in a game against international teams. But in our practices, it feels like l can do a little bit more than I used to be able to do. That’s huge for me so hopefully I can just keep on improving and work on what I need to work on.”
While he’s focused on the here and now, he still has high hopes for the future – however uncertain it may be.
“I’m excited about the potential of going to the Paralympics. It’s something I’ve never experienced before. It’s going to be intense and I’m looking forward to it. I don’t mind if it’s too different than a typical Games because it’s still going to be a life-changing experience for me.
“It’s unfortunate that no international spectators can come, so my family can’t be there to support me in person. But they’ll be cheering me on from Toronto or wherever they’ll be in Canada. My family is a big part of my life and they’ve supported me throughout my basketball career.”
Beyond Tokyo, Melymick has his sights set on finishing his degree in engineering. With basketball, he’s not sure what may come next; only that the sky is the limit.
“I want to see where basketball takes me. There are a bunch of opportunities to keep on working and improving, whether it’s a scholarship to play at a university in the U.S., or play overseas, or continuing to train here in Canada. Those are all options so I’m keeping my eyes open for opportunities.”
Follow Lee @leemelymick and the rest of Team Canada on their journey to Tokyo at:
Facebook: @wheelchairbasketballcanada
Twitter: @wcbballcanada
Instagram: @wheelchairbasketballcanada