School Football: Would You Have Become a Man?

Football has long carried the stereotype of being a “goon” sport, played by big, brawny guys. Watching post-touchdown celebrations, with muscular players showing off tribal tattoos on their left forearms, some may see scenes reminiscent of ancestral rituals celebrating a hunt or victory over rival clans. But speaking with those who work daily with high school players on the field, it becomes clear that football mainly instills values of solidarity, perseverance, and self-improvement—values that go far beyond the final whistle.

Academics First

No matter how you look at them, football programs in Vaudreuil-Soulanges are fundamentally focused on academic success. While a few girls join the Benjamin (Grade 7) teams, most squads—Cadet (Grades 8–9) and Juvenile (Grades 10–11)—are composed almost entirely of boys from the region’s public high schools (Cité-des-Jeunes, Chêne-Bleu, and École secondaire Soulanges) and from Collège Bourget in Rigaud. Teams can include up to fifty players, some of whom will continue their athletic and academic journey at CEGEPs like John Abbott or Valleyfield, as football programs across the province grow rapidly.

But again, the shared goal of all these programs is clear: ensuring students earn a diploma. “The goal at the high school level is to get as many kids as possible into college,” explains Nicolas Santerre, football program director at Chêne-Bleu. “You could be the best player out there, but if you’re not doing well in school, you won’t go far.”

Not Just for “Bums”

Quarterback for Bishop’s Gaiters for five years, Patrick Nadeau spent eight seasons coaching the Citadins at Cité-des-Jeunes before passing the torch to Pascal Laframboise last January. With countless hours spent developing programs and strategies that now define the Citadins’ success, Nadeau has earned the right to challenge old stereotypes about football. “The image of football players has changed,” he says. “They used to be seen as dropouts. But this year, at the cadet level, we had ten players with averages above 80%.”

This academic focus continues at the college level, where players are bigger, faster, and still aiming for academic success. “Wins in the classroom are more important than wins on the field,” says Patrick Lauzon, head coach of the Valleyfield Noir et Or, three-time Bol d’Or champions. “My primary mandate as a coach is to ensure that my players graduate with a college diploma.”

Regional Collaboration

The synergy between local programs—some extracurricular like Cité-des-Jeunes and Soulanges, others blending academics and athletics like Collège Bourget and Chêne-Bleu—is both real and fruitful. With more teams being formed and growing college enrollment, the results speak for themselves. “We used to recruit mostly from Valleyfield,” says Lauzon. “Now, Vaudreuil-Soulanges makes up 50% of our roster. Local programs have made a big difference.”

A product of the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières football program, Santerre adds: “Our mission is to grow football in this region using the most progressive techniques. The program is led by educators, and that makes a difference. Technically, we are very strong.”

Life Lessons Beyond the Game

Such structured coaching inevitably shapes young minds and bodies. Steve Landry, head coach at Collège Bourget and former Laval Rouge et Or player with two Vanier Cups under his belt, is a firm believer in the impact of football. “We live in a performance-based society. The goal isn’t to get 60%, it’s to get 80%. Expectations are high—parents, coaches, everyone expects more. But no matter when a player stops playing football, they walk away with a diploma and life experience: resilience, leadership, teamwork—things you don’t learn in class.”

All the coaches interviewed spoke of the deep bond between players. Though a team might play only about ten games a year, from September to November, they train constantly. They support each other, open up to one another, and ultimately learn what life is about. “Football teaches you everything about life,” says Patrick Nadeau. “We raise young men who are disciplined, self-aware, and ready to lead. We build men.”

And these young men often return to the field later to pass on their knowledge, while their former coaches watch from the sidelines, proud and quietly reflective between kickoffs and fumbles:

“In my soul and in my mind,
There once was another version of me.”