By: Richard Obrand
MontrealAlouettes.com
A hometown boy living his dream, Étienne Boulay cherishes every moment he spends on the field in an Alouette uniform. MontrealAlouettes.com caught up with the talented safety.
Having grown up in Montreal, what’s it like playing for the Alouettes?
It’s an unbelievable feeling to be able to put on the Alouettes uniform every week. I watched them play when I was young and it was my dream to one day play for them. I played in the US for six years in college with New Hampshire before I came back to play for the Alouettes, so not only was I playing for my hometown team but I finally had the chance to play in front of my family and friends.
You are heavily involved in the community; do you see it as giving back?
I like being involved in community programs. The organization takes pride in giving back to the community, and I think it’s great especially since it’s given me so much. We have the power to motivate kids and help important causes and we all love being involved!
What has been the most memorable moment in your young football career?
There have been a lot of moments in my career that I’m going to remember forever. Playing in the Grey Cup in ’06 and ’08 were great experiences and winning the conference championship during my senior year at college was also amazing. It felt great to win because we finished near the bottom of the standings during my first two years, but we managed to turn the program around and finish first in the US in division 1-AA.
Do you do anything interesting during the off-season?
I start my off-season by taking a few weeks to rest and get away from football for a bit. Last winter, I travelled to Mexico, the Bahamas and went back to New York to see a few of my old teammates from my time with the Jets. After a short break, I get back to exercising and preparing for training camp. I spend several hours of my morning working out, which I love doing. I also try and do some community work. I really enjoy helping kids understand the importance of getting an education and staying on the safe road throughout their lives.
