Teammates grew up on opposing sides; Westlock’s Rottier, Medicine Hat’s Coehoorn understand rivalry

Chris O’Leary
Edmonton Journal
 
They grew up on the Battle of Alberta, albeit cheering for and, at times playing for, opposing sides.

Now, all that separates area codes 403 and 780 in the Edmonton Eskimo locker room is the thin piece of wood between their stalls.

After a lifetime of allegiances to their respective teams, Medicine Hat native Nate Coehoorn and Westlock’s Simeon Rottier are teammates and next-door neighbours in the locker room, looking to score a win for the Green and Gold in Monday’s 47th edition of the Labour Day Classic in Calgary.

“It was probably the biggest game of the year for us, because I lived in Medicine Hat and it was kind of tradition growing up to go to Labour Day,” said Coehoorn, a receiver in his second season with the Eskimos.

“Our whole family would get in the van and drive up the road and watch the game, so it’s been a pretty big tradition if my family and it’ll be fun to play in it.”

Having spent the first three years of his Canadian Football League career in Hamilton, this is Rottier’s first Battle of Alberta as an Eskimo. He does know the perks of taking part in the league’s intraprovincial rivalry games, though.

“It’s a great little back-to-back within the week. I kind of like it, ” said the offensive lineman.

“(There are) quick paycheques and – with a quick turnaround, it’s less practice. Your body takes a toll, but it’s pretty fun. I like how it’s set up like that.”

Rottier is playing in his second game after missing the previous four with a hyperextended elbow suffered against the BC Lions on July 20. He was happy to play at Toronto last week to get ready for one game that he knows all of Alberta will be watching.

“That’s the way it’s been growing up here,” he said of the dislike for southern Alberta. “Playing against them in university, it was the same thing.”

The university angle makes things more interesting for the pair of Eskimos. Coehoorn played for the University of Calgary Dinos and Rottier suited up with the University of Alberta Golden Bears. While the two played against one another in 2008, they didn’t know each other at that point.

Over the past few months, they’ve filled in the trashtalking blanks of their past.

“I like to chirp all of the U of A guys a bit about the Dinos and stuff like that, but they already know the Dinos are the better team,” Coehoorn said, laughing.

“We’ve got a couple of Calgary guys on our team here,” Rottier said. “We don’t hold it against them.”