From hockey king Sidney Crosby to Olympic snowboarder Alex Duckworth, Nova Scotia boasts some of the world’s most incredible athletes. With hometown support, these all-stars start to shine in varsity and minor leagues: last season’s Halifax Moosehead could easily be next year’s Boston Bruin. Luckily for you, local varsity and national leagues offer student rates all year long to get you and your friends in those seats.

You’re pretty much guaranteed to see Atlantic College Athletic Association champions in action at Mount Saint Vincent University (where the soccer, volleyball and basketball teams have been very decorated over the past few years), and the same goes for Dalhousie—its many Tigers squads are among the Atlantic University Sport‘s best. The Saint Mary’s University women’s basketball team has been on fire since 2010, becoming Atlantic champions and executing the fundamentals of the sport with precision and skill. Likewise, the Saint Mary’s Huskies football team, one of four in the AUS, holds outdoor games for only five bucks! Huskies kick off September 5 and plan to close with the Vanier Cup game on November 29. Cool story, bro.

Speaking of cool stories, the Halifax Mooseheads hit home ice at the Halifax Metro Centre on September 19. The leaders of the Quebec Junior Minor Hockey League have the highest event attendance in local sport, making the atmosphere super intense for fans and players alike at only $12 a pop.

Now for my personal jam, some high-quality professional hoops: On November 8 at the Metro Centre, the Halifax Rainmen swish into the National Basketball League of Canada with returning championship coach Josep Clarós Canals and a strong lineup of US and local players. With a live DJ, freebies and dance troupe The Weather Girls, Rainmen games are so fun. Pro tips: the Metro sausages are amazing, the Moncton Miracles suck.

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This article appears in Aug 21-27, 2014.

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