Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence – A $1,500 bursary awarded to 28 young student-athletes in men and women’s hockey

MONTREAL (February 5, 2016) – For the ninth consecutive year, the Montreal Canadiens acknowledged the on-ice achievement and academic distinction of 28 young hockey players as part of the bursary program of the Foundation for Athletic Excellence (QFAE). Created in 2008 by the Montreal Canadiens, this initiative aims to provide the most promising young student-athletes in men and women’s hockey with financial support. Last year, the Canadiens extended their partnership with the Foundation with a $250,000 investment over a five-year period, until 2020.

Following the ceremonies earlier today, the Montreal Canadiens presented twenty-eight $1,500 scholarships to the most deserving young hockey players between 15 and 18 years of age. Eight of the scholarships were handed out to female hockey players from Quebec’s provincial team hoping to earn a spot on the Canadian National Team, while 20 more scholarships were awarded to hockey players from the Midget AAA league. The ceremony was held at the Canadiens’ Bell Sports Complex in Brossard following the team’s practice session.

This year, 13 scholarships for academic excellence have been awarded to students-athletes with notable scholastic results. Also, 13 scholarships for support for academic and athletic achievement were awarded to further encourage a better conciliation of sports and academics, which can constitute a real challenge for a number of elite athletes.  Last but not least, two leadership scholarships were awarded underlining the combination of exemplary on-ice achievements and academic results with inspiring community involvement. It should be noted that one of the eligibility criteria for the QFAE scholarships is the effort displayed by young athletes in preparing for a career after hockey.

Despite being relatively new, having been created in 2008, the Bursary Program has shown that it is very effective. The various accomplishments of former recipients provide undisputable examples, including the achievements of three former laureates who would earn an Olympic gold medal:  Marie-Philip Poulin (in 2008 and 2009), Mélodie Daoust (2008 and 2009) and Lauriane Rougeau (2008 and 2009). Furthermore, 19 past Canadiens’ scholarship recipients were drafted by National Hockey League teams including four who played at least one game at the highest level; Louis Leblanc with the Canadiens (2008 recipient), Xavier Ouellet with the Detroit Red Wings (2009 recipient) and Anthony Duclair, New York Rangers, now with the Arizona Coyotes (2011 recipient) and more recently Laurent Dauphin, with Arizona (2012).

“We are obviously very pleased to contribute to the success of these young, talented and promising athletes on the ice, in classroom and in the community,” said Canadiens president and CEO Geoff Molson. “We aim to develop not only good hockey players, but good leaders and outstanding individuals who will have an impact on their fellow citizens.  I salute their talent and congratulate each of them for their dedication to their sport and their commitment to their education. These young people set the example for those who will follow in their footsteps.”

“For the past nine years, the Montreal Canadiens have made a significant difference in the development of young athletes both on and off the ice. The QFAE recognizes the importance of partners like the Montreal Canadiens whose loyalty to the program over the years adds tremendous notoriety to this popular and significant program. We are pleased and proud to see that the Montreal Canadiens and the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence continue to work hand in hand towards the success of young hockey players until 2020,” added Claude Chagnon, president of the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence.

The Montreal Canadiens Bursary Program is administered by the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence in partnership with Hockey Québec and the Midget AAA hockey league. Hockey Québec general manager Sylvain B. Lalonde and Midget AAA hockey league president Denis Baillairgé indicated they were very pleased with the QFAE partnership. “The Montreal Canadiens Bursary Program has enjoyed tremendous success since it was first introduced. Upon receiving their scholarship, recipients get more than just a cheque providing them financial assistance, they experience a memorable moment that entails essential messages for them to understand, to remember and to apply to their lives as they continue their development for their own benefit and that of the community as a whole,” said Lalonde and Baillairgé.

 

THE 28 RECIPIENTS OF THE 2016 MONTREALCANADIENS BURSARY PROGRAM
($1,500 scholarships to each of the 28 laureates)

Women’s Hockey
Name	Age	Residence	Team
Academic Excellence
Coulombe, Marie-Pier	17	Carignan	Titans du Cégep Limoilou
David, Gabrielle	16	Drummondville	Élites de l’Est-AA/Honey Bees du Sud-AAA
Lemay, Amélie	17	Drummondville	Titans du Cégep Limoilou
Lemelin, Stéphanie	17	Québec	Titans du Cégep Limoilou
Vigneault, Kimberly	17	Sept-Îles	Titans du Cégep Limoilou
Academic and Athletic Support Bursaries
Bégin-Cyr, Rosalie	17	Saint-Georges de Beauce	Titans du Cégep Limoilou
Corbeil, Tammy-Lee	17	Mirabel	John-Abbott College Islanders
Shanahan, Kristina	17	Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue	Dawson College Blues
Men’s Hockey
Name	Age	Residence	Team
Academic Excellence
Crête-Belzile, Olivier	15	Québec	Blizzards du Séminaire Saint-François
Desgagnés, Mathieu	15	Île-des-Sœurs	Grenadiers de Châteauguay
Éthier, Thomas	16	Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville	Gaulois d’Antoine-Girouard
Fortier, Gabriel	15	Lachine	Lions de Lac Saint-Louis
Mathieu, Olivier	15	Drummondville	Cantonniers de Magog
Poulin, Anthony	16	Saint-Prosper	Commandeurs de Lévis
Poulin, Samuel	14	Blainville	Phénix d’Esther Blondin
Trépanier, Maxim	16	Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu	Collège Charles-Lemoyne
Academic and Athletic Support Bursaries
Bérubé, Tristan	16	La Pocatière	Albatros du Collège Notre-Dame
D’Orio, Alex	14	Sherbrooke	Cantonniers de Magog
Élément, Shawn	15	Victoriaville	Estacades de Trois-Rivières
Lafrance, Simon	17	Saint-Eustache	Vikings de Saint-Eustache
Lemay-Champagne	16	St-Augustin	Blizzards du Séminaire Saint-François
Mandolese, Kevin	15	Blainville	Phénix d’Esther Blondin
Rodrigue, Olivier	15	Saguenay	Élites de Jonquière
Shank, Alexis	15	Laval	Rousseau-Royal de Laval-Montréal
Simoneau, Xavier	14	Saint-André-Avellin	Intrépides de Gatineau
Soulière, Liam	16	Blainville	Forestiers d’Amos
Leadership Bursaries
Bibeau, Félix	16	Mercier	Grenadiers de Châteauguay
Gravel, Jérôme	16	Chambord	Élites de Jonquière

 

About the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence: TOGETHER TOWARDS SUCCESS
The Foundation has made a name for itself with a personalized approach, a rigorous style of management and its influential role in the sports and education circles. In 2016, the QFAE will award close to $1.3 million in bursaries to over 450 student-athletesthroughout Quebec. The scholarships awarded by the Foundation reward academic excellence and encourage the conciliation of school and high performance sports underline leadership and recognize perseverance or stimulate university recruitment. The QFAE is always looking at opportunities to team up with former scholarship recipients and partners towards the success of all laureates and make a difference in their academic and sports/personal development.  Visit the Foundation’s web site at faeq.com and like us on our Facebook page at: FAEQ – Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence du Québec or join us on LinkedIn.

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Contacts:

Donald Beauchamp
Senior vice president, Communications
Club de hockey Canadien
514-989-2803

Patricia Demers
Assistant general manager
Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence
514-252-3171 poste 3728