PBA Player Trades His Jersey for New life as a Truck Driver in Canada

In the Philippines, basketball is undeniably the most famous sport. Almost every guy knows how to play it and during PBA season you would find them glued to their television screens. To become a PBA player is a dream career for many but only a few make it. One of those lucky few is Tristan Perez.
Tristan’s basketball career started when Eric Altamirano recruited him for NU’s 2014 UAAP men’s basketball champion squad. Following an amateur career with BDO-NU and Jumbo Plastic in the PBA D-League, he was recruited by Blackwater for the PBA.

His career lasted for more than a decade, something he used to only dream about. It would’ve lasted longer if he wished to continue. However, when his contract was about to get renewed, he flew to Canada to take on a different path.

So what does it take to make someone give up on the career of their dreams? For Tristan Perez, it’s family. He quit PBA, migrated to Canada with his wife, and got a job as a truck driver. Being a truck driver may not sound as fancy as being a professional basketball player but according to him, it pays well.
Being in Canada and working as a truck driver allows him to be with his family and give them a comfortable life, something he would’ve struggled with if he decided to stay in the Philippines. For him, this outweighed anything that being a PBA player could ever give him.

According to the Government of Canada’s official Job Bank, the average salary of a long-haul truck driver in Canada is around $25 an hour which is equivalent to roughly 1,009php. It could go up to about $32 or 1,292php. He would not be paid this much as a rookie for the PBA.

“I weighed my options very well,” Tristan recounted to Philippine Star. “I thought it many times over. My wife was pregnant and it seemed that what I would be getting from a new life in Canada outweighed anything I might earn in the PBA — assuming I play long in the league.”

Now, he seems to be enjoying his new life in a small town in Fort McMurray, Alberta. He and his wife, Princess, now have two daughters. One is five years old and the other one is ten months old.

When he isn’t spending time with his beautiful family, he drives 26-wheeler trucks for a company that hauls petroleum. Truck driving to him is like basketball in the way that he needs adequate rest to be able to perform well.

Giving up your career may be a hard thing to do but it doesn’t mean that you’re giving up on your happiness. We just have different dreams at different stages of our lives. Tristan already fulfilled a big dream so now he’s on to fulfilling a new one.

He may not be playing professionally, but he still enjoys the sport as a hobby in their Alberta home. Basketball has opened so many doors for him and he feels blessed for all the experiences he’s gained, but now it’s time for him to focus on creating a beautiful life with his family.

What do you think about Tritan Perez’s decision? Let’s have a conversation below!

As per our friend, as a start, you will get .065/mile for the long haul and up to 35/hr not including safety and incentive bonus. Safe driving Chris!

PhotoCredit: Tristan Perez FB Page