Perhaps a lot of fans have missed it, especially given the domino effect of sports shutting down听 in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there was some exciting news a few months ago that at least had me smiling ear-to-ear.
A Rugby League team is coming to Ottawa in 2021, and will be called the Aces.
If you are a sports fan and not aware of rugby league, I highly recommend checking out the game, played with 13 players, and a ruleset uniquely different from rugby union 15s, albeit familiar too.
The Aces will be Canada鈥檚 second pro 13s team following on the heels of the Toronto Wolfpack, a team that launched at the lowest level of the Britain-based league, and last fall earned their way into the top echelon although that effort has been on hold as sports are internationally in a holding pattern.
Now the Aces will try to climb the ranks, and they at least start with experience at the top. Eric Perez started the Wolfpack, and he is the man behind the Ottawa franchise now.
鈥淚t was always the plan to have a second Canadian team,鈥� he said in a recent telephone interview.
In fact, Perez is a man of huge optimism regarding 13s rugby, suggesting a third or fourth team is not a stretch for Canada. Certainly the buzz among fans online have pointed at Montreal and Halifax as possible sites. Perez said a foray to the west is not out of the question either.
鈥淗opefully someone else will pick up the reins,鈥� he said, suggesting the Aces will be the last team he deals himself into.
As it stands the Wolfpack and Aces are anticipating New York joining the festivities in 2022, and stateside Boston is rumoured as another possible team locale.
鈥淭he more teams, the more interest we鈥檒l generate for this league,鈥� said Perez. 鈥�... The more teams that pop up the better for the sport.鈥�
At present the Wolfpack are a team with a roster of international talent.
The Aces may focus more on Canadian talent, but Perez said it won鈥檛 be an overnight thing.
鈥淚f it were up to me I鈥檇 have a full side of Canadians,鈥� he said, but adding he is a realist too and knows the level of talent in 13s in this country simply is not high enough to compete in a top pro league. 鈥�... Maybe in a generation.鈥�
Perez said he does believe there is a base that 13s can build on, a multi-sport base drawing players from 15s and football, noting a lot of the skills and attributes that make players good in those sports will transfer to the 13s field.
Another example is Sonny Boy Williams, a star in 13s now playing with the Wolfpack, who has also represented his home country of New Zealand at the World Cup in 15s (union).
For now Perez said he will focus on building the Aces brand, making it 鈥淐anada鈥檚 team.鈥�
Perez said the franchise is actually 鈥渁head of the curve鈥� in preparing for its 2021 release, adding they look forward to when they can start putting players through their paces on the field.
Perez said the reception in Ottawa so far has been 鈥渟uper positive,鈥� especially in the face of COVID-19. 鈥淧eople in Ottawa are very excited about it.鈥�
The sport will do the rest once on the field, because that is when you can see the hard work, tenacity, toughness and yet fair play exhibited, said Perez.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I was drawn to this sport 鈥� it represents Canadian people, represents what it is to be Canadian,鈥� he said.
听
听
This is part of a series of columns featuring interviews with athletes from favoured sports, leagues and teams of the author.
Earlier columns are:
听
