Saint-Laurent, Mr. Handball in Granby, is once again leading a team this season that is enjoying great success in the Quebec AAA Senior Women’s Handball League. The Granby Handball Club won its 12 regular schedule matches, won its semi-final match and will try to be crowned champion Saturday evening in Montreal when it faces the Drummondville Olympic Handball Club.
Saint-Laurent has been the soul of handball in Granby for over 30 years. He experienced the strong moments of this sport with us and the more difficult moments. And with half as many players in Granby as a few years ago, we are clearly in a more difficult moment, in a trough.
But there is his senior team which has something to put a smile on his face. A team made up of 14 players aged 20 to 34, a united group as is not allowed, it seems.
“I have everything on this team,” explains Saint-Laurent. Students, workers, mothers, everything. But there is one thing that unites them: handball.
“Their practice on Wednesday and their match afterwards, it’s sacred for them.”
— Marc Saint-Laurent
Saint-Laurent will give the example of Laurianne Croteau, who studies full time in Trois-Rivières and who never misses even a training session.
“We have talent, but also a lot of experience. We have the oldest team in the league. There are girls who have been there for a long time, who could decide to do something else, but who stay because their handball team is important to them. That’s nice to look at.”
Last year, the Granby Handball Club lost in the final to the Champlain Handball Club of La Prairie after having been dominant in the regular season.
“I’ve been spoiled for two years in a row. But here, we want to go all the way.”
The Granby Handball Club is also already qualified for the senior Canadian champion, which will take place in the Montreal region the weekend following the Quebec final.
Christina Saint-Onge, center, is one of the team’s dominant players. (Handball Granby)
Competition
Like almost all sports, handball faces major recruitment challenges. There are around 70 players in Granby today compared to around 150 not so long ago.
“The pandemic has hurt, very badly,” continues Saint-Laurent. The main competition, as we know, comes from phones and tablets. But we have to be careful before pointing the finger at young people. Because the parents have also changed. Driving 10 minutes to take your child to their game or practice on Saturday morning is very difficult for some…”
The message is clear and it has gotten through.
