Members of the Alouettes hit the greens for a great cause

MontrealAlouettes.com

Montreal – Less than 24 hours after the Montreal Alouettes posted an impressive 43-13 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Percival Molson Stadium on Sunday, members of the organisation found themselves hitting the links at Le Diamant Golf Club in Mirabel as the team held its annual golf tournament in support of the CN Adopt an Alouette program on Monday.

Over thirty Alouettes players, both past and present, including former star running back and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers were on hand to enjoy the event and support the program which since 1998 has benefitted over 250,000 students across hundreds of Montreal-area schools.

“The day was great,” said current Alouettes running back Dahrran Diedrick who was taking part in the event for a third year in a row. “It was a good opportunity to get out and meet some new people. The sun was out and I got to play some golf with my teammates. It was a lot of fun, especially after a win and when the whole thing is for such a good cause.”

Given that the CN Adopt an Alouette program runs primarily during the off-season, yesterday’s tournament allowed players like Diedrick, who don’t live in Montreal year-round, to also give back to the community.

“I don’t get to participate in the program as much as some of the other guys do because I’m not here during the winter, so I love the opportunity that this event gives me,” continued the three-time Grey Cup champion. “At the same time, I really commend the guys who do stick around all year and who go out and give their time to help the kids like they do. It’s important because young kids look up to athletes and we have the power to influence them for the better. I know our young fans think highly of us so it’s always good to give back to them.”

One of the day’s highlights included quarterback Josh Neiswander, a scratch golfer, crushing an opening drive over 320 yards, although fans shouldn’t expect to see any Alouettes trading in their helmets and padding for golf clubs any time soon.

“I think I was more of a nuisance than an asset to my foursome,” mused Quebec-born center Luc Brodeur-Jourdain. “I have been getting better over the years though, but fortunately this tournament is more about having fun and supporting a great cause.”

Head Coach Marc Trestman, who addressed the crowd during dinner, took advantage of the opportunity to remind his players that they were all invited to attend “voluntary” team meetings the following morning, generating a laugh from all those in attendance.

In all, over 144 players, sponsors, and members of the media participated in this year’s iteration of the Alouettes Golf Tournament, raising important funds for the CN Adopt an Alouette program. A significant portion of those funds came from a silent auction which saw the team put a number of exclusive pieces of football memorabilia up for offer to the generous attendees, including most notably, signed college helmets.

Although the golf was all in fun, some friendly rivalries arose when it came to defending the players’ alma maters. “The Nebraska Cornhuskers helmet is the best item up for bid on the silent auction table,” said Nebraska alumni Dahrran Diedrick. “Whoever manages to go home with that one is the luckiest person here tonight.”