Centre multisports
Centre multisports

Excellence Athletes, Step Up!

2018-05-15  |  Patrick Richard
Excellence Athletes, Step Up!

Excellence Chez Nous: Supporting High-Level Athletes in Montérégie

After the 2014 Quebec Games, held across Montérégie East (notably in Longueuil and nearby cities), conversations began around developing high-performance sports throughout the region. Following several meetings and reflections, a new non-profit organization—Excellence Chez Nous—was born.

Conceived as a regional hub for excellence, the organization’s short-term mission is to create a charter recognizing high-level athletes in the area and to offer them the services needed to improve their performance. The Centre Multisports has recently joined this exciting initiative.

Understanding the Structure

To understand how this new centre fits into Quebec’s broader sport ecosystem, let’s break down the structure:

The Ministère de l'Éducation, de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (MEESR) oversees the province’s recreation and sports sector. It created the Institut National du Sport du Québec (INSQ), whose mandate includes supporting Centres Régionaux d’Entraînement Multisports (CREMs). These CREMs can access specific programs and collaborate with local partners.

There are currently eight CREMs in the province. The latest to gain recognition by the INSQ is Excellence Chez Nous, serving the Montérégie region. The Centre Multisports represents the western pillar in the territorial reach of the new organization.

Who Qualifies as an Excellence Athlete?

In practice, Excellence Chez Nous helps athletes by offering both front-line and support services, such as access to Centre Multisports facilities and consultations with professionals like kinesiologists.

To benefit from these services, athletes must qualify as “excellence-level” under official criteria. This means they must:

  • Practice a sport recognized by the MEESR
  • Reside or train regularly within the territory (or be a resident training elsewhere for continued development)
  • Be identified by their sport federation and the MEESR as “Excellence,” “Elite,” “Relève,” “Espoir,” or “Espoir+”

More information on each of these categories can be found at excellencecheznous.com.

Program Goals and Broader Vision

Beyond athlete support, Excellence Chez Nous pursues broader sporting and social goals, including:

  • Promoting the hosting of major provincial, national, and international events
  • Improving sports infrastructure and equipment across the region
  • Supporting skills development among coaches and sport leaders
  • Promoting health and active lifestyles

The Centre Multisports already supports athletes through this program, such as sled hockey player Francis Lacombe (see pages 4–5 for more).

Visit the Excellence Chez Nous website to explore full project details, short- and long-term goals, and the scale of athletic involvement. Montérégie currently boasts 460 athletes from “Relève” to “Excellence” levels, over 1,000 athletes categorized from “Espoir” to “Relève,” and more than 500 coaches, officials, and sport professionals—a clear portrait of a thriving athletic culture.

The Centre Multisports is proud to be a leading force in this growing movement.