Cross-border competition: Why some Nova Scotia teams are choosing to stay in Canada
Some Maritime-based sports teams are reconsidering their travel plans amid tensions between Canada and the U.S.
Trevor Walter, the coach of the Haliblaze and Halifax West high school basketball team, says they initially had American travel plans but ultimately chose to change them.
“We were originally planning to go to Kentucky and then we decided to go against it because of the political stuff going on,” he said.
“Some of the parents were apprehensive about it.”
He explains that he and the parents were worried about the athletes crossing the border and any complications they may encounter. They were also trying to keep costs low and were concerned about the weak Canadian dollar.
“The biggest thing was the border stuff and concern about the tariffs and financially how much we’d have to pay when it comes to (the exchange rate),” he said.
Meanwhile, other coaches are choosing to go ahead with their routine trips south of the border. Trevor Wamback is with the Highlanders Baseball at King’s-Edgehill School in Windsor, N.S.
The team is part of the New England prep school league and has decided to go ahead with American travel.
“For our guys, it’s all about development and exposure and that’s the best place to do it. Baseball is America’s national pastime. It’s a showcase every time that you play those teams,” he said.
When the team’s spring season started, however, Wamback did contemplate cancelling some games from their schedule to add more Canadian games.
“I believe in supporting local … but we’ve got some close connections that go beyond what is actually happening between the two countries that we want to maintain,” he said.
“And at the end of the day, it’s just about providing opportunity for our players.”
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