But even Mr. Handball sometimes asks questions. Like after being suspended after he had a disagreement with the parent of a player from the team that his J.-H.-Leclerc Incroyables cadetes faced very recently.
Context: the Incredibles have a meeting with the team from the Marcellin-Champagnat school, in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. As usual (those who have already seen Saint-Laurent coaches know it), the Granby coach encourages his young people, makes recommendations, sometimes reproaches, etc. On the sidelines, he is active, without ever going beyond the limits, according to what we have seen of him over the years.
But now, its intensity disturbed a spectator. Who didn’t send him word.
Saint-Laurent: “He shouted to me: “Close your eyes, I didn’t come here to hear you scream!” Then, a minute later, he shouted the same thing a second time. The referees, who were very young, did not react, and the floor manager did not seem to be there. It was uncomfortable, it wasn’t funny, I was destabilized, I felt truly attacked.”
At 55 and with all these years of coaching behind the tie, Saint-Laurent saw others. But that was too much.
“I crossed the field without calling for a stoppage in play and that was a mistake on my part,” he admits. I wanted to speak to the gentleman who had yelled at me. When I saw him, I said to him: “What right do you have to talk to me like that, sir?” I wanted it. Then there was another parent who grabbed me by the jacket wondering what my problem was. And I was pushed by another person. There was tension. The boss finally arrived and one of the officials gave me a red card (expulsion) because I had crossed the field. But since I didn’t have a deputy, I was given permission to stay at the end of the bench. After the match, another parent came to see me to take a photo of me to “make me lose my job”, as he told me.”
The Quebec Student Sports Network imposed a two-game suspension on Saint-Laurent, which he accepted. But he wanted to denounce the behavior of his parents which had made his life difficult. He therefore contacted the Complaints Officer, a body managed by the Regroupement leisure et sport du Québec, which receives complaints from those who believe they have been victims of harassment or abuse in a sporting environment.
“I was told that my story was very sad, but that under Bill 25, parental confidentiality was protected. I was advised to go to the police if I deemed it necessary, which I did not do.”
Marc St-Laurent has led at all levels, even internationally. (Stéphane Champagne/Archives La Voix de l’Est)
What about the coaches?
Marc Saint-Laurent will serve his two-match suspension this week. He is capable of living with this penalty, he insists. But he remains shaken by the events that occurred in Saint-Jean.
“My younger team is made up of 14-year-old players and some are starting to play handball. When you’re involved in a story like this, you say to yourself: “Are the athletes going to want to continue playing? Are they going to think that’s what sport is?” There’s nothing good about it.”
Saint-Laurent applauds all these awareness campaigns which aim to protect officials in sport and athletes in general. But he feels like we’re forgetting the coaches.
“We often hear: “No referee, no match!” And that’s absolutely true. But no coach, no match either! There are great efforts being made to eliminate bullying and bad behavior in sport, but sometimes I feel like we are being forgotten. coachs. We do this for the love of sport first and foremost, but I also know that we often have a positive impact on the lives of the young people we manage.”
It’s all a question of respect, he will continue.
“The players have the right to respect, the referees too, the coachs also. I’m the age I am and I’ll get over it. But for a young coach, it can be traumatic. Is it normal to be treated the way I was when all I ultimately want is to get our young people moving? I don’t think so.”
Impossible to contradict him.
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