E.J. Lajeunesse raises funds for new football team

 

by Jamie Adam

The brand new junior boys football team at École Secondaire Catholique E.J. Lajeunesse is closer to being able to purchase its own equipment thanks to a fundraiser held Oct. 21 at Club Alouette.

After years of discussion, Lajeunesse implemented a junior football team for the 2012-2013 school year.  Due to the costly nature of buying new equipment, the team has been renting items from the Essex County Ravens Football Club.

Chris Brassett helped to organize the event and the team.

“It’s just a fun way to get together,” said Brassett.  “This way parents of different players can get to meet other parents as well and the boys have a good time.”

Brassett said it has been difficult to get the team started because the school is so small.  Lajeunesse has around 400 students and between 25 and 30 students are needed to start a football team.  The football team features 27 junior boys.

Meetings with administration were set up by head coach Mike Speller’s wife, Suzanne.  Speller and Brassett do not speak French so Suzanne helped to convey information to the school board.

The team has played five games this season and has a 1-4 record.

“I think the team is doing very well right now,” said Speller.  “We won our very first game we ever played and we haven’t won a game since but we’ve been competitive in all the games so far.”

Brassett said another reason Lajeunesse started the team is so French-speaking students don’t have to choose between attending a French school or being able to play football.

“What happens is some of them end up at different schools because they’re football players and they want to play high school football,” said Brassett.  “This allows them to not have to choose between the two.  They can speak French and play football.”

In order to raise money for the team the school held a pasta dinner Oct. 21 with door prizes and a bake sale.

Charline Pickens’ son Matthieu Pickens plays on the team and both attended the fundraiser.

“I think it’s a very good event for the kids,” said Pickens.  “It’s nice to see the kids all pulled together to make this event work, along with their families.  It’s nice to see how they’re a team and they’re doing this as a team.”

Brassett said the school is looking to purchase a set of helmets costing roughly $6,000.

There have been other fundraisers in the past and the school is accepting any donations to go toward the football team.