Alouettes reach out to youngsters at Genesis Elementary School
Pep talks and basketball game provide magic touch for children
Athletes comes in different stripes and professional athletes are often criticized for being spoiled, overpaid, badly-behaved, ego-centric and uncaring exploiters who take but rarely give back.
Well, there are some wonderful exceptions to this bleak picture painted on a canvas of modern society which, you might expect, leaves a lot to be desired.
And isn't it ironic that usually, the higher the salary the athlete pulls down, the less inclined he or she is to share the gifts of time and place with the rest of the world?
But, glad to see, not all athletes are cut from the same selfish cloth. Some, such as those who showed up at Genesis Elementary School last week, are a refreshing departure from the mass of the millionaires who dot the landscape of professional sports.
Responding to an appeal from the Genesis school administration and staff to visit the school children, members of the Montreal Alouettes spent the afternoon speaking to various groups and then gave the entire school community quite a thrill in a basketball game.
The score: Alouettes - fantastic! for generosity, altruism, motivation, encouragement, acceptance, wisdom, caring, sharing and many more intangibles that would take too much space to list. The children - better young people! for having had the benefit of football heroes sharing themselves with them and bringing about increased self-esteem, greater appreciation of the role of athletes in community development, deeper understanding of the effects of hard work, dedication, and perseverance, enhanced character development through the realization that dreams can come true, if you have the right attitude, a positive frame of mind, and the resilience to turn setbacks into opportunities for success.
The children of course, were the big winners, taking away fond memories of adults who went out of their way to show that it is crucial to give back to the community when you achieve success. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon, in the company of grown-ups who despite their many trials and tribulations, can still be trusted to reach out and put smiles on the faces of children who will be forever grateful for that special moment when he or she met an athlete and hero.
The program
"When I received the program from the Alouettes, it was very appealing to me because it was an opportunity to have players coming to our school to talk about the importance of respect and teamwork," Serge-Edouard Jeanniton told Courrier Laval.
The six players who visited were Luke Fritz, Scott Flory, Bryan Chu, Dave Stala, Anwar Stewart and Laval's own Shaun Diner.
They went into classes to talk to students and answer questions. Following the classroom visits, staff members and some grade 6 students played the Alouettes in a friendly game of basketball.
"The Genesis team stood its ground against these talented and big players. it was a wonderful experience, capped off with a special touch from the players who handed out their autographed cards to the children (not to mention the young at heart older types like teachers and administrators).
(Photos: Martin Alarie)
Steven Guilbeault - 
