Canadian student athletes navigating new challenges in U.S. recruitment

The road to a U.S. scholarship is becoming more complicated for Canadian student athletes, with financial and political factors now weighing heavily on the decision for some families.

“Across the board, Canadian families always have a conversation about what the budget looks like and what a move to the United States look like, but now that might be something that they’re they’re giving more thought to,” said Brett Montrose, CEO and founder of Streamline Athletes, a platform that helps high school athletes with the recruitment process.

Montrose explains that for many parents, sending their children to the U.S. for college sports requires balancing a variety of components, from academics and athletics to geography and, increasingly, finances.

Although the exchange rate between the Canadian and U.S. dollar hasn’t shifted drastically, he says it still adds stress, particularly because most athletic scholarships do not cover the full range of associated costs.

“The most common scenario we’re seeing is a family more strongly considering to stay closer to home and attend a Canadian school versus going stateside because that’s what makes sense for their budget,” said Montrose.

Beyond the financial concerns, he says political tensions between Canada and the U.S. are also emerging as a factor in the decision-making process.

“That doesn’t mean that’s the case for all Canadians, it comes down to individual decision. But it’s become part of the conversation.”

Despite the challenges, Montrose emphasizes that U.S. schools continue to highly value Canadian athletes, who are often recognized for being “well-educated, coachable, and great teammates.”

“The political conditions across both countries don’t necessarily impact the opinions or the goals of the coaches who are looking for these athletes to be parts of their teams.”

While it’s still too early to identify large-scale trends, Montrose notes that some Canadian families are starting to reconsider whether the U.S. remains the best option.

“At this point in time, there’s still a lot of good opportunity for Canadian student athletes to explore the United States, but the geographic and financial element needs to be really understood by the parents and the student athletes before they make that decision.”