AUSTRALIAN RULES
Bourque credits Giants teammates for helping him make national team
Sydney man to play for Canada in Melbourne.
Chris Bourque may be the first Nova Scotian to ever crack Canada’s Aussie rules football team roster, but he says he couldn’t have done it alone.
Case in point: Four members of the Sydney Giants did their best to entertain Bourque’s 16-month-old son, Benjamin, during an interview at Open Hearth Park on Tuesday. Needless to say, it’s been a team effort.
“The people that we have are pretty committed and have been helpful,” said the 34-yearold Yarmouth native, who lives in Sydney River. “Days that you don’t want to go to the gym or don’t want to go to the practice, they’re always there to remind you of what we’re doing and why.
“Especially without the Sydney Giants and the Halifax Dockers, I wouldn’t be here.”
Bourque’s been working toward making the national team for the past three years, a process that’s included camps and tournaments. His dream became a reality last September.
“It’s been interesting to see what level these players at this level compete at, how they train and how they prepare,” said Bourque, a forward. “That’s been really good for me and really neat as an athlete, and also bringing back what I’ve learned from national camps to the footy club in Sydney.” But now, the real fun starts. The Canadian team will play at the 2017 Australian Football League International Cup in Melbourne, Australia, Aug. 5-19. The schedule is a grueling five matches over two weeks. A total of 18 men’s teams will take to the field.
“Growing up, most athletes in Canada dream of putting on the maple leaf on their chest in a hockey jersey,” said Bourque. “It may not be my plan as a kid, but this is where I am and it’s a really neat experience.”
Bourque became interested in the sport when he lived in Australia in 2006, but didn’t play until he moved to Halifax in 2012. He calls Australian expat Jonah Scott, who started the Halifax Dockers club, a friend and a mentor.
He’s trained with the Giants and played exhibition games versus the Dockers, but most of Bourque’s training has been selfdirected. He heads to the gym five to six times a week, training at both CrossFit Per Ardua and CrossFit Jono. He’s also had a helping hand from the Caledonia rugby team.
Canada will compete in Division 1 and opens play against the United States on Aug. 6. They’ll face Great Britain on Aug. 9, New Zealand on Aug. 12 and Nauru on Aug. 15. The grand finals will be played Aug. 18-19.
“If we wanted to go and enjoy the sights and the nightlife, anybody can do that, but that’s not what we’re going for,” he said, noting the support he’s received from his wife, Susan, through the whole process. “We prepared for the last three years and we represent everybody. I know (Giants players) here won’t be with me physically, but they helped me get there.
“It’s not just for myself, it’s for everybody.”
Anyone interested in Aussie rules football can email capebretonaussierules@gmail.com or search for the Cape Breton Aussie Rules Football Club on Facebook and Instagram.