Yves Bilodeau: A Taste for Water
He once wore the national team colors in water polo, possesses an entrepreneurial spirit, and raised three children who also discovered the joy of water sports.
In the early 2010s, his daughter joined the Citadins swim club, which at the time competed under the Dollard-des-Ormeaux club name. The organization was fragile—no head coach, and little value placed on performance. That was all it took to awaken Yves Bilodeau’s leadership. He was approached to take over the club, and over the years—devoting countless hours—he sparked a full-scale revival. His first move? Surround himself with experts to bring back the club’s identity and pride, which often fosters a strong sense of belonging:
"Swimming is a lot like water polo," says Yves Bilodeau. "You have the team, the colors, and you value discipline, effort, and performance—not excessively, but recognition is important."
The Pride of a Promoter
Today, the club’s 120 to 170 swimmers (depending on the year, with Olympic years always attracting more young hopefuls dreaming of imitating their TV heroes) train weekly in the lanes of the Cité-des-Jeunes pool, proudly wearing the red and blue of the civil club.
"One of my greatest rewards is seeing the pride on the kids’ faces," says Bilodeau, now president of the club’s board of directors. "It’s a regional treasure—a club of 150 people."
Anyone attending a swim meet in Montreal, Longueuil, or elsewhere can feel that pride and energy radiating from both young swimmers and their supportive parents. In fact, parents can help finance their children’s swim season by volunteering with the club.
"I’m passionate and a promoter at heart," Bilodeau adds. "I love to build innovations and bring them to life within organizations. I’ve owned businesses before. What I liked about the Citadins is that it felt like running a business."
This “business” he built with a strong board of directors that includes swimmer Philippe Pominville (a record holder at both provincial and national levels among masters swimmers) and David Marzell, the club’s head coach. Beyond victories and everyday challenges like parent involvement, club longevity, and registration, Yves Bilodeau identifies one major obstacle:
"We have a pool schedule problem," he notes. "It’s hard to recruit coaches, and kids are often late to practice."
In this Olympic year, the club hopes to see more young athletes—and perhaps gain full use of all six swim lanes from 5 to 7 p.m., every evening of the week. A shared dream for veteran parents and wide-eyed swimmers alike.