MontrealAlouettes.com
Gatineau – The Alouettes wrapped up their first-ever Clinic in Gatineau on Saturday afternoon, capping off a damp day of football in the Outaouais region.
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Éric Deslauriers |
Despite the uncooperative weather however -not once during the day did the rain cease to fall- there was nary a long face in sight at the event which saw over 120 kids from the region get the chance to train alongside a dozen Alouettes players and alumni, a number of whom have been part of the last two Grey Cup championship teams.
“It was extraordinary. I hope it becomes a yearly event here in Gatineau,” said Michel Bernard, who was accompanying his son Olivier to the clinic. “The organization was great, the players were great, everything about the day was great, even if it was raining. It was perfect, my son loved it,” added the long-time Alouettes fan.
The Alouettes players and alumni on-hand seemed equally upbeat about the event, despite the downpour.
“The turnout was great, the kids were happy, and we all had a lot of fun,” said Alouettes slotback and Gatineau native Éric Deslauriers during an afternoon break. “It felt good to return to Gatineau and give back to the community. When I was growing up here there wasn’t a single football team in the city, and now there are half a dozen. The sport just continues to grow and it’s awesome to get to be a part of it,” concluded the Alouettes’ 2006 first-round draft pick.
Apart from representing the team’s first-ever Clinic in Gatineau, the event also marked the first time the Alouettes held a Clinic devoid of both contact and shoulder-padding.
“We wanted to demystify football a bit,” said former Alouettes safety Matthieu Proulx, who grew up in the region. “We wanted to show the kids that football isn’t just about a gang of brutes hitting and tackling each other. We wanted to show them the technical side, the athletic side of the game, and I think we succeeded,” added the 2010 Grey Cup Champion who retired earlier in the off-season. “The kids were asking a lot of questions and didn’t seem to mind the rain at all. We had a great time and hopefully we’ll be able to come back and do it all over again next year.”
The conclusion of yesterday’s Clinic also marked the end of the Alouettes’ series of youth camps for the 2011 season, which in addition to Gatineau, also took place during two weekends in Montreal.
