By François Ferland,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Montreal – It was a cold winter day at Laval’s Saint-Maxime high school when a 15-year old Danny Desriveaux began pondering a question that took much reflection.
Little did he know, that the answer to that difficult question – posed to him by his teacher as part of a class assignment – would provide him with the important first steps on the trail that led to who he is today: a holder of a university diploma and a proud member of the Montreal Alouettes.
Thanks to the CN Adopt an Alouette program, Desriveaux was able to retell his story to a group of 200 Grade 7 students at Laval’s Collège Letendre.
Established in 1998, the CNAAA program wasn’t only created to give Quebec’s student population the chance to interact with 15 of their favourite Alouettes, but also to deliver a message of hope.
“It’s really important that we teach them how to prepare for their futures,” said Desriveaux before speaking in front of the keen students. “And what better way than to tell them about our own stories?”
The question…
For the Alouettes receiver, who earned himself a spot on the Montreal roster in 2007 after being drafted in the sixth round just a year earlier, the problem at hand was finding an worthwhile life goal that could potentially change his life around.
It was through this newly adopted method, that very day at Saint-Maxime High that Desriveaux asked himself that very important question: What are you going to be doing with your life in next 10 years?
Desriveaux asked that very question of the attentive students sitting in front him, and just like when he grabs a sharp pass from quarterback Anthony Calvillo out of the air, he grabbed their attention.
Touchdown Tim
“I was born and raised in Laval-des-Rapides, so I’ve been to all the same hangouts that are now big parts of your lives,” he said. “I was a really hyperactive kid who loved playing hockey, basketball and baseball. But when I turned 15, my focus shifted towards football, which allowed me to live a dream I never thought I’d be able to experience.
“So when it came time to answer the question as part of a class assignment, I went blank – 10 years seemed so far away… it was almost as if it was another life. I didn’t know what to say!” the speedy receiver said.
“So I thought of Tshimba Biakautuka, a Quebecer who had some success in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. We called him ‘Touchdown Tim’ because he was such a brilliant ball carrier and he was someone I really admired.
“While I was lost in my reflections, I stared at the large amounts of snow falling to the ground through the window and I said to myself: I’d love to play in the NFL someday too, preferably somewhere without snow.”
It was at that exact moment that Desriveaux began writing down his newly realized dream on his paper.
Clearing it up with the parents
Having played his CEGEP football at Vanier College with the Cheetahs, the same school as Biakabutuka, and following that up by spending his college days with the Richmond Spiders, Desriveaux’s dream was quickly coming to fruition.
“You can achieve anything you want in life if you just believe in yourselves and respect the commitments you made to yourself,” he explained to the attentive students. “I made a promise to myself and made sure that no matter where I was in life that I would persevere.
“I was never the biggest or most talented player on any of my teams, I just worked extremely hard,” he added.
Desriveaux also mentioned that having support from his parents played a huge role in his success.
“I realized that my parents weren’t my enemies, although they were a little sceptical with the path I decided to follow. Their openness helped me out a lot, and now they’re my biggest fans. Now they come watch me play at Percival Molson Stadium on a regular basis and wear my jersey proudly!” he exclaimed to the students.
The Grey Cup
Desriveaux concluded his time with the students with a question and answer session, the last of which addressed Montreal’s spectacular Grey Cup win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders last November.
“How did you feel when you raised the cup?” asked one student.
“At that very moment, I realized how privileged I was. It was the 97th time that the Grey Cup would be handed out in the history of Canadian Football. I did a small calculation in my head and realized that I’m one of about six thousand men who have had the pleasure of winning and raising it over their heads,” Desriveaux said. “I get a very special feeling inside whenever I think about it – and even more when I think of my parents who left Haiti to live here with me.”
