Like Marie-Philip Poulin, she wears number 29, is from Beauce and scores points by the ton. More importantly, like her idol, Emmy Fecteau has a desire to improve the lot of future generations.
The Concordia Stingers have practice on ice every weekday, early in the morning. With the exception of Monday, since the players train in the evening.
Fecteau therefore took advantage of his Monday morning off, in the middle of spring break, to welcome The Press in his second home, the Perform Center on the Concordia University campus in West Montreal.
The 23-year-old striker showed up in a room on the second floor of the complex, overlooking the training room intended for the university’s research center.
She puts off her long black coat displaying her team’s logo and from the outset it is a question of the particular lifestyle of the student in teaching English as a second language.
With two games per weekend, Fecteau must divide his time, and his concentration, between hockey and studies. So far, she excels in both spheres. This season, she finished atop RSEQ scorers with 18 points in 11 games. She also received an excellence scholarship given to future teachers.
“All my life, I’ve put pressure on myself to get good grades and perform well in hockey, but of course with scholarships, you have to get good grades, because it’s still hard to pay everything in Montreal. »
She and her team will nevertheless be able to benefit from a considerable donation of $1.3 million from Power Corporation, offered to the university to fund the women’s basketball, hockey, rugby and soccer programs.
Announced last November, this donation will help “transform women’s sports at university”.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY EMMY FECTEAU
Emmy Fecteau
The other first
Saint-Odilon-de-Cranbourne is a small municipality of barely 1500 inhabitants. After Marie-Philip Poulin, Thomas Chabot and Joshua Roy, Fecteau is also a jewel on skates from Beauce.
Her parents first introduced her to figure skating. Then, ringette. “I hated it from the first practice. I told my father: it seems that little girls don’t work! »
She then tried her luck in hockey. “I fell in love right away,” she exclaims.
I like competition. Even at school, I had to be the best in the math exercises we did.
Emmy Fecteau
Her determination, her intelligence, her passion and her deep desire to be superior to anyone characterize her game on the ice. She stood out once again this season on the university circuit. “Not worse, yes…” she said in an embarrassed tone, looking down and rounding her shoulders. For Fecteau, individual successes hardly matter. Only a real desire to shine the light on others remains.
She is the offensive catalyst of a team on the way to defending its national title acquired last year. She has been honored many times by the RSEQ for her performance. She can aspire to a professional career. Never mind, one thing makes her particularly proud.
“I don’t know if it’s a good answer, she pushes, still inhabited by this concern for perfection, but I would say that it’s to create friendships that will last a lifetime. »
Give back to your community
Fecteau left his hometown at age 16 to join the Titans at Cégep de Limoilou.
She has therefore acclimated to a more urban lifestyle. Out of the question, however, to deny its roots, on the contrary. In fact, she chose her field of study to benefit her community in the future.
“In Beauce, English is not very popular and I think it’s important these days to learn English to travel. I would like to share English with the students. I love teaching, I love being with children and sharing my knowledge. »
Before, however, she wants to live her real dream. Play hockey professionally.
Now that dream can come true. “For a while, I thought after college hockey, it was over. But there, even my parents understood that there is something after and that it may be that I stay in Montreal, ”she explains.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY EMMY FECTEAU
Emmy Fecteau
She is now part of Hockey Canada’s development program. Not only is she on the radar of the most prestigious women’s hockey team in the world, but above all she can rub shoulders with Marie-Philip Poulin.
“He’s been my idol since I was little. I think we’re friends, she says with a laugh, like a high school student about the prom queen. We text each other sometimes. She is super nice. »
Since she is following in the footsteps of the greatest player in the country, Fecteau was also captain of Team Canada at the Lake Placid Winter Universiade a few weeks ago.
Until she earns a living with hockey, Fecteau first wants to triumph again in the burgundy uniform of the Stingers. Her life isn’t just about hockey, but that’s what defines her. “You have to take advantage of it, because it goes by too quickly. »