Why are Canadians taking their athletic talents to the States?

By Daelyn Davis

Many Canadian athletes are packing up and moving to the United States for better opportunities in the sports world.

 Some Canadians feel that universities in the U.S. have more to offer than universities in Canada.  They often have better facilities and resources to help their athletes be able to perform to their maximum ability and potentially play professional sports.  

“American universities have a lot more to offer such as more money, scholarships, fans, exposure and a lot more of everything really,” said Nik Veigli a former basketball player at the University of Windsor.

Some Canadians are sending their children to the U.S. for grades 9 to 12 for skill development and a better opportunity to receive full scholarships to get a chance to play basketball and get a degree.  Ontario native Rowan Barrett moved to Florida to attend Monteverde Academy for high school, and ranked number one ranking in the country in his class for basketball and winning many other honours. Today, Barrett is a college freshman at Duke University and is projected to benumber one in the 2019 NBA Draft.

“In my experience Canadians prefer to play sports in the states because there is a high level of competition, more teams and better athletes,” said Ian Smart, a former basketball player at Western University.  “If I had the opportunity to play in the states I would.”

Another Canadian native, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, received an offer from collegiate basketball powerhouse University of Kentucky during the 2017 and 2018 school year. His plan for going to the U.S. was successful because he was the 11th pick of the 2018 NBA draft and now plays for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Some Canadians are taking advantage of the opportunities that the U.S. have.  Although life in sports are never certain those who pursue the dream and are successful are given the chance to live a different life. They are able to provide a better life for their families, paving the way for other Canadians to do the same.