About ten athletes from the region were awarded scholarships during the Champions Golf Classic on Thursday evening at the Victoriaville Golf Club. In total, more than $15,000 was awarded to local athletes.
During this evening, hosted by Valérie Sardin who works in particular at the Sports Network (RDS), various people were able to speak to congratulate the region’s athletes such as Alain Danault, Mayor Antoine Tardif and Étienne Boulay, who sent a video from Costa Rica due to his absence.
In addition, many sports personalities such as Atlanta Falcons football player Matthew Bergeron, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault, Los Angeles Kings forward Phillip Danault and Dallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque, among others, were on hand to give back and encourage young and old in their respective sports.
“What can we say about how lucky we are in Victoriaville to have so many sports stars at a golf tournament right now? It’s absolutely exceptional,” said Mayor Tardif.
To start the evening, the very first scholarship was awarded to Justin Gaudet as a regional men’s hopeful athlete. Justin is a young left-handed defender. He helped his team win the M15 AAA Challenge of the Quebec Excellence Hockey League. He also won the bronze medal with the Centre-du-Québec team at the last Quebec Games.
Then, Maïka Beaudoin was the second scholarship recipient to hear her name. Aged 15, Maïka is an alpine ski athlete at the U16 level. She competed on the Mauricie ski circuit during the 2023-2024 season. In the five races of the season, she finished on the podium three times and always reached the top 5. In terms of points accumulated, she finished third among all the athletes present. “Her determination and personal discipline allowed her to obtain a scholarship to study at Northwood School, in Lake Placid, in the United States, during the next season,” said Valérie Sardin.
In the provincial women’s category, Catherine Tourigny was the one who stood out. She stands out in two sports: soccer and flag football. Being versatile, she can play several positions on the field. In flag football, she was regularly named player of the week for her very offensive performances, while in soccer, she was elected last March to the all-star team of the Quebec Student Sports Network (RSEQ).
In the provincial men’s category, Léandre Binette was the recipient of the scholarship offered. Aged 18, he holds records at the Quebec Games in athletics in the 1500 meters and 3000 meters. In triathlon, he was named Quebec junior champion in 2023. He also obtained a selection for the Junior World Championship which will take place in October in Spain. His goal will be to finish in the top 15.
For best student-athlete, Nolan Turgeon was rewarded for his work in running. In May 2023, he notably finished fourth at the Pan American Championship in Puerto Rico. He covered a distance of 1500 meters in just 3 minutes and 53 seconds. In 2024, he wants to be one of the best senior athletes in the country. In addition, he excels in school with a general average of 90%.
For the new scholarship created last year by Matthew Bergeron, it rewards the athlete who has played a determining role in his team without receiving honor or particular statistics. Colin Racette was the recipient. This football player stood out for his performances on the field. They also earned him an invitation to the Quebec U16 football team at the Canada Cup, which took place in New Brunswick. He greatly helped his Claretian College Grail team with his offensive performances, allowing him to win the offensive rookie title in 2023.
The scholarship that followed was that of Samuel Montembeault. Volleyball player, Zachary Hollands, won this scholarship for his good performance. In 2023-2024 he was part of the national team. He also took part in the first Pan-American Cup in the team’s history. He also played three seasons with the Vert & Or of the University of Sherbrooke. He will begin his professional career in Finland next September.
Guillaume Ouellet was awarded the title of national/international athlete of the year. The latter is a runner who has previously participated in two editions of the Paralympic Games and will likely participate in the one in Paris. He could not be present at the gala because of his race that took place Thursday evening in Montreal in order to secure his place in Paris.
As for the coach of the year, Nicolas Boucher, he was rewarded for his work and dedication to his Vulkins Cégep de Victoriaville men’s hockey team. Recently, he joined the Cascades Drummond/Bois-Francs structure to coach the M15 AAA elite.
For the sports organization of the year, the Optimum Soccer Club was the big winner of this grant. More than 2,500 soccer players are members of this club, which was founded in 1967. 75% of these young people play there recreationally, while the other participants are registered in the competitive aspect.
The penultimate scholarship, which rewarded the national/international athlete, was awarded to Sophie Taschereau, in weightlifting. In May 2023, she competed in her first Canadian senior women’s championship at 59 kilograms, in Toronto. She finished second in Canada. Since then, she has had a string of good performances and competitions around the world.
The very last scholarship of the evening was awarded to Anne-Sara Cayer in the regional pride category. The karateka has a black belt in martial arts. In 2007, she won the gold medal in her first national competition. In 2012, she once again won a gold medal at a world competition. Since that time, she has continued to stand out in competitions while teaching the basics of her discipline to young people.
To close the evening, the organizer of the event, Guy Désilets, wanted to thank everyone for being present during this fifth edition and confirmed that everything will take place under the same formula next year, i.e. June 26, 2025. Matthew Bergeron, Samuel Montembeault and Mavrik Bourque, among others, have already confirmed their presence.
