Despite the gray weather outside in May, the University of Montreal’s CEPSUM training studio had a day of great excitement outside.
Sitting at the same table were Daniel Jutras, the rector of the university, Philippe Le Blanc, a generous donor, and Geoff Molson, the owner of the canoe but also president of the Club of Governors of the Carabins. Manon Simard, Managing Director of CEPSUM and Carabins, also sat at the lectern.
And before them stood athletes, journalists and other dignitaries. Even Rodger Brulotte made the trip for his All Around Town page.
The purpose of this gathering: a donation of one million to the Carabins tennis program from the Le Blanc Foundation. With this significant financial contribution, the “Blues” now have the financial means to hire a full-time coach in David Desrochers, a former Carabins and qualified physical education teacher.
“This donation is in line with the Foundation’s objectives of investing in sport, arts and health,” said Philippe Le Blanc, brother of Sébastien, a former ATP. With this donation we improve the Carabins tennis program. The dream and vision is to make Quebec tennis competitive with what is happening in the United States and the NCAA.
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Stop the Exodus
Carabins’ men’s and women’s program will not aim to develop the next big stars of the ATP or WTA, but we will try to keep the talent in the province.
“In the future, we want our young people here to see the Carabins or Laval University as a great achievement,” said Le Blanc. I’m not saying it’s not a nice thing, but they dream more in the United States. It has to change. It’s a long tradition that started with Martin Laurendeau in the 80’s. We ingrained it in tennis culture in Quebec that it goes through the NCAA. We have to break that.”
“For the most part, we’re going to want to develop student athletes,” he continued. But it’s not impossible for a player or two to break out and go pro. To achieve this, we need to improve the university cycle in Quebec.”
The brothers Philippe and Sébastien Le Blanc describe this exodus to the United States well. In their day, they both played tennis at a high level, but they also have three children together who hit the yellow ball in American college programs.
Two of Sébastien’s four children have played in the NCAA. Raphaëlle, 23, is a graduate of the University of Portland in Oregon, while Alexandre, 21, will graduate from the University of Kentucky in May.
Christophe Leblanc, the eldest of Philippe’s children, attends Kenyon College in Ohio.