Former Delta Blue Jays Sean Heppner (Delta, BC) of the British Columbia Thunderbirds and his younger brother Ryan Heppner, who have waged a tougher battle against COVID-19 than most Canadians.

January 14, 2022

Baseball dreams live on despite pandemic nightmare

By Scott Langdon

Canadian Baseball Network

Sean and Ryan Heppner could drive to their family home from their current rental accommodations in a few minutes, but their love of the game has kept them away for almost two years.

The brothers, both righthanded pitchers, are part of the future for the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds of the Cascade Collegiate Conference, members in good standing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Sean, 19, is a second-year geological engineering student while Ryan, 17, has committed to the UBC program beginning in 2022.

They were born and raised in Canada, but reside in Point Roberts, Wash., a pene-enclave of the United States on the southernmost tip of the Tsawwassen peninsula, dangling just south of the 49th parallel which marks the border between the United States and Canada. The community of less than 1,000 permanent residents can only be accessed through Canada or by small plane or boat, but is only 30 minutes by car from Vancouver.

The COVID-19 virus and a dizzying array of changing government regulations and border restrictions temporarily put the Heppners’ careers on hold. But their desire to play and their parents’ support have helped them make the best of an unusual situation.

The Heppner family at Ray Carter Cup in 2019 at historic Kinsmen Stadium in Oshawa, mom Sharon with her sons Sean, left, and Ryan.

“I was born in Buffalo, New York and my husband, Greg, was born in Maple Ridge, BC,” mom Sharon Heppner explained. “All of our west coast family lived in the Lower Mainland of BC, so Point Roberts seemed the perfect location for us. While we technically lived in the U.S., everything we did was in Canada including the kids’ schools and their sports.

“But when the Canada/U.S. border was closed as a result of COVID we found ourselves stuck in Point Roberts, cut off from everything including our three older children and grandchildren. The kids’ school, Vancouver College, was across the border as were the North Delta Blue Jays (of the BC Premier League),” Sharon said. At the time Sean was playing for the Premier League Blue Jays and Ryan for the junior team and Sean’s Premier League team.

“We were used to crossing the border, sometimes up to three or four times daily to get to school and baseball, then suddenly it wasn’t possible,” Sharon added.

The family lobbied their political representatives, both the border authorities and the required health officials seeking an exemption that would allow the boys to continue living at home in the U.S. while attending school and playing ball in Canada. When all attempts failed, they took the only option left. Sharon, Sean and Ryan moved into the basement of the Canadian home of the boys’ sister.

When it became apparent after a matter of months that the pandemic was going to linger and the border would remain closed to non-essential travel, the family rented a house on the Canadian side while their family home sits vacant a strong toss south of the border. They remain in Canada today.

Through it all, Sean and Ryan managed to continue training and practising on their own because pandemic restrictions prevented them from joining their teammates when the North Delta Blue Jays resumed workouts in June 2020. The times called for some unusual practice habits and locations.

Point Roberts, surrounded by Boundary Bay and the Strait of Georgia, is a popular summer destination with many of its vacation homes owned by Canadians who were unable to cross the border.

RHP Ryan Heppner pitching for the North Delta Blue Jays

Sean and Ryan started a lawn cutting business to help them stay in shape and eventually had a roster of about 60 summer homes to look after.

They took batting practice at Point Roberts’ only ball field. Their mom was their at-times terrified outfielder.

They threw long toss and bullpens a few days every week.

They worked out in the family’s home gym and played catch regularly in the backyard.

“From March to August of 2020 we were never able to leave Point Roberts except for Sean’s drive-through graduation from high school,” Sharon explained. “Yet, both of them worked hard and became stronger and better, despite the circumstances.”

In September 2020, Sean headed for UBC to live on campus, which required a 14-day quarantine at the time. Ryan needed to attend Vancouver College, his high school, and prepare for a key baseball recruiting year, prompting the temporary move into their sister’s basement.

“There have been interesting circumstances to say the least. Ryan, at one point, could go to school in Vancouver daily because that was considered essential travel but could not go to baseball practice or a game after school because this was not a school-sanctioned activity and thus considered non-essential,” Sharon said. “Some border exceptions were implemented for Point Roberts late last year, allowing him to go to his team’s home field in Delta, but not any other field or facility in the Lower Mainland.

“At another point in time, we were allowed to go back and forth across the border if you were fully vaccinated, but the cost of testing for Ryan and I at least twice a week made it more economical to remain in our rental house. Both boys now are in winter training for baseball and the requirement for testing to cross the border if fully vaccinated has ended for Point Roberts. But what about Omicron? What is that going to mean?”

While uncertainties remain with an ever-evolving global pandemic, Sean is confident he will finally have the opportunity to play his first game as a UBC Thunderbird despite being in his second year on a baseball scholarship.

“Our schedule is set to begin in Arizona in February and then we move to California for a week. It’s looking like we will finally get to play,” he said.

Next year, brother Ryan will join the Thunderbirds fold, marking the first time the brothers have been full-time teammates.

“Baseball is so much fun for Sean and I. We definitely push each other. We have had a running joke about who will eventually throw the hardest,” Ryan said.

For the moment, 6-foot-3 Sean says his fastball has clocked 92 MPH on the radar gun. Ryan, two years younger and three inches shorter, is not far behind, hitting 88 MPH. Whoever comes out on top, the big winner is likely to be the UBC Thunderbirds program and skipper Chris Pritchett and pitching coach Wayne Corness.

And as the boys’ full-time mom and part-time batting practice outfielder pointed out: “Step by step, they are pursuing their dreams,” despite the challenges of their pandemic nightmare.

UBC's Heppner brothers make a point from Point Roberts, Wash.