Sport-Études at Chêne-Bleu: Diploma Before Medals

In the late 2000s, stakeholders from the Commission scolaire des Trois-Lacs, the School Board Council, and the Quebec Ministry of Education began exploring the relevance of implementing a Sport-Études program in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region.

After meetings with the principals of three local high schools, statistical presentations, and many discussions, the answer became clear: absolutely yes—a Sport-Études program would be a major asset for local students. Thus, in 2012, the Sport-Études program at Chêne-Bleu High School was born. Now, with the first graduating class approaching, we take a deeper look at how this program is transforming the lives of both students and their families.

From 63 to 250 Students

Francine St-Denis, Chair of the Commission scolaire des Trois-Lacs, speaks proudly of a program she sees as vital to the health of the public school system:
“Knowing that 20% of students were leaving for private schools, people began to ask why we didn’t have a Sport-Études program in the region. Our role is to listen to needs and respond. We are lucky here—we have incredible people around us. When sport becomes part of their lives, high school passes in a flash for these teens. It’s a beautiful story.”

The idea of a school day split between academic learning in the morning and intensive sport training every afternoon was not simple to implement.
“We had to build everything from scratch,” recalls Aude Martin, the program’s director. “That meant establishing partnerships with sports organizations who initially had to call students one by one.”

From 63 students across three grades in the beginning, the program now welcomes 250 students across all levels. The number of partnering sports organizations has grown from 6 to 23 in five years. The success is evident, and its benefits are just beginning to be felt.

Developing Athletes—and Graduates

Before developing high-performance athletes, the program's first priority is ensuring students graduate from high school on time.
“We tell our students the truth,” explains Martin. “The chances of making a living as a professional athlete are slim. Earning a high school diploma is essential, and we want to offer them the best diploma possible.”

More than a diploma, the aim is to offer a positive school experience and instill healthy lifestyle habits. Research shows that 15–20 hours of weekly training is necessary to develop athletes capable of competing at national or international levels. Without Sport-Études, that kind of schedule means training every evening and weekend—an enormous strain.

“This program changes lives,” Martin says. “Those who struggled to juggle school and high-performance sport thrive here. Others, who were already training 15 hours a week, now get their evenings back.”

This isn’t a system that selects only the top students. Quite the opposite, says Martin:
“Any student who puts in the effort and follows recommendations succeeds. Some arrive with learning challenges or intervention plans, and we’re able to support them thanks to strong structure and supervision.”

Structure, Support, and Supervision

Every day, 250 students leave at 12:10 p.m. to head to nearly 20 different sports venues. That demands precise coordination.
Yannick Guay, the Sport-Études program coordinator since its inception, ensures everything runs smoothly—liaising between teachers, parents, students, and administration. Everyone knows Yannick, and he knows everyone—by name.

“The system is built to support athletes,” he explains. “And high-level athletes get injured. That’s why every day includes a supervised academic period at school. If a student is injured or returning from a competition, they can stay and catch up.”

Class groups are mixed between team and individual sports. Students sometimes even train with peers from other schools, such as John-Rennie, des Sources, or Collège Français for soccer. The program also includes clinics on nutrition, wellness, stress management, and visits from alumni.

Parental feedback is overwhelmingly positive:
“They feel their kids are in good hands,” says Martin. Academics come first—missed homework means missing sport. A minimum average of 75% is expected. And it works: Chêne-Bleu’s graduation rate is 92%, compared to the Quebec average of around 78%.

Afternoons at the Centre Multisports

Of course, passion is a must for training 15 hours per week:
“I once asked a parent: does he sleep with his baseball bat?” jokes Martin.

Many of these young athletes train at the Centre Multisports, which hosts Sport-Études in gymnastics, cheerleading, softball, tennis, and new additions like weightlifting and cycling.
“We’ve had great feedback from both students and parents,” she adds.

On the Centre’s indoor tennis courts, coach Étienne Bergeron, certified level 3, trains students from Chêne-Bleu, John-Rennie, and Collège de Montréal:
“There’s no other place in the South-West or West Island like this,” he says. “Four indoor courts let us truly develop local talent.”

With access to top facilities and staff, the program enables young athletes to thrive. Standout names include Céleste Dao (golf), Alex Marineau (judo), and Mathieu Morin (tennis).

As Guay notes, “We used to only talk about hockey and baseball—now, the book is wide open.”

Through partnerships with the Centre Multisports and Jeux du Québec, a generation is rising—driven by discipline, resilience, and the love of sport. And along the way, they’re earning not just medals, but diplomas too.