New Waterford Coal Bowl a week of basketball friendships and nostalgia
Norma Jean MacPhee | CBC News | Posted: February 2, 2016 5:47 PM | Last Updated: February 2, 2016
Twenty years after competing against each other, two players return as coaches — for the same team
In its 35th year, the Coal Bowl Classic in New Waterford, Cape Breton, is about more than just high school basketball. The week-long event is filled with community pride, new friendships and nostalgia.
And for one Cape Breton man, it's about coming full circle.
"Walking back into the gym where I played from grades 7 to 12, it was good to see it again," says David MacKinnon.
As he stands on the sidelines, people shake MacKinnon's hand and slap his back welcoming him home.
Originally from New Waterford, MacKinnon now teaches at St. Francis Xavier Catholic High School in Hammond, Ont. He's also the basketball team's assistant coach.
Soon after arriving at the Ontario school, he and another teacher, Scott Stoqua, discovered their shared Coal Bowl history from 20 years ago.
"He and I played against each other here in 1995. I was on the host team [Breton Education Centre] and he came down with a team from just outside of Ottawa in Kanata," MacKinnon says.
"We played each other opening night."
'There's good feelings coming back'
Stoqua is the head coach of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic High School basketball team. For the first time, he and MacKinnon decided to take the team to this year's Coal Bowl tournament.
"There's good feelings coming back," says MacKinnon. "I always enjoyed being here."
The Coal Bowl sees 10 boys teams from seven provinces compete in the round-robin tournament, with the championship game set for Saturday.
Two girls teams — the local Breton Bears and a squad from Yorkton, Sask., play exhibition games and take part in the festivities.
For New Waterford, this week is all about basketball. Energy ripples through the Breton Education Centre gym as the crowd cheers on the players.
"Oh gosh, this is kinda like the winter festival in New Waterford," says Jacquelyn Poirer, co-chair of the Coal Bowl. "And it's exciting for the small business owners, the pizza shops and other little restaurant shops here."
For MacKinnon and Stoqua, they're happy to be participating again, this time as coaches.
"It's pretty exciting," says MacKinnon. "The guys are excited and my family is around and a lot of friends I haven't seen in awhile, so it's good to be back."