Canada vs. U.S. bowling tournament creates lifelong friendships, despite political differences
Over a hundred bowlers gather twice a year for this tournament, once in the U.S. and once in Canada
When Brooke Betteridge started participating in the Can-Am international bowling tournament more than a decade ago, she didn't know it would have as big of an impact on her life as it eventually did.
"I actually met my husband at this tournament," said Betteridge, who's from Maine. "He's from Saint John, New Brunswick."
That was 13 years ago. Now, the couple lives in Maine with their young son.
Betteridge was in Saint John this month for the annual Canadian leg of the tournament at Fairview Lanes, along with more than 50 other American bowlers, and an equal number of Canadian bowlers.
"I have just as many Canadian friends, I feel like, as American friends," she said. "I formed lifelong friendships through bowling."
'We're like a big family'
The Can-Am tournament will take place again in October at Maine's Bangor-Brewer Bowling Lanes. The competition goes back-and-forth, creating a friendly competition between the two countries.
"We couldn't do it [last] October, so we ended up just wanting to get back together again. We're like a big family, actually," said Emma Wiley, one of the organizers from Maine who helped start the tournament back in 1986.
That friendly competition continues, despite recent not-so-friendly tensions between the two countries' governments.
"We never talk politics," said Wiley. "I'm not into it, you know, I'm into friendship with different people, and that's what I want."
The tournament took a few years hiatus during COVID-19, so officially this is year 36. Some bowlers have been attending since day one, while others have gotten involved more recently.
"There are people here that started it and kids and there are grandkids of some of the bowlers here," said Elaine Kingston, one of the organizers on the Canadian side.
Kingston has been involved in the tournament for more than 20 years, and said that it's less about the competition than it is about getting together and having fun.
"You get to know them and their families and they know you and it's just a fun thing," she said. "It's not all about the end result, it's all about the camaraderie and the social stuff."
'It's not about the politics. It's about bowling'
During the tournament all 16 lanes were filled, with bowlers competing to move up into the finals for cash prizes.
"The money is nice, but hey, we just want to bowl," said Debbie Patman, another one of the main organizers on the Saint John end of the tournament.
Patman says no one really brings up government or politics. Not because it's off limits, but because there are more important things going on.
"It's not about the politics, it's just about bowling and doing the sport that we love, and getting together with the friends that we have."
Most of the Canadian bowlers are from New Brunswick, and the American bowlers are from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Sue Dority, a bowler from Bangor, Maine who's been participating in this tournament from the beginning, says she hasn't talked with any Canadians who are worried about travel to the U.S. right now.
"We talk about families, what we've done in the past year since we've seen each other," she said. "We go out to eat, different things like that. You know, it's just just getting together, just like you would with any friend."
Dority says that folks try to keep up with each other throughout the year over social media and through email, but it's not the same as being back together in person.
"None of us care about the politics," she adds. "We just care about each other."
Some Canadians remain cautious
Betteridge says she wasn't worried about the border crossing on her way into Canada, and she hopes the Canadians will feel just as comfortable going to the States.
"I can understand how there would be concerns based on what they're hearing," she said. "But we haven't had any issues."
But some Canadians who were bowling in the tournament said they didn't want to go on the record with CBC about their concerns, because they're worried about being stopped next time they cross the border.
Kingston says she hasn't made many trips across the border lately, but she's hoping to still attend the October tournament.
"At first we're kind of hesitant, but everybody seems to really want to go," said Kingston. "Most of us haven't gone much across with the recent events. So we're just kind of watching to see, but we all definitely want to go. So if it's possible, we'll be there."
But Patman said many of the Canadians who were there this weekend have no qualms about going to the U.S. leg of the tournament in the fall.
"Out of the 30 teams that we have here, 28 said absolutely they want to go and two are 'maybes,'" she said.
Wiley says she hopes to continue the tournament well into the future, and to increase the number of teams that participate.
As for which country is winning the longstanding U.S.-Canada bowling tournament?
"It changes back and forth," said Wiley. "And I think right now we're about even."
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