In the 48-7 victory of the Laval Rouge et Or against the McGill Redbirds, Saturday night at PEPS, brothers Étienne and Justin Cloutier had a memorable evening.
Except for a match of a 2020 season which was canceled due to the pandemic, the brothers wore the colors of the same team for the first time and, moreover, the formation of their childhood.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time,” said Justin, who was also playing his first game in the university ranks. It was a really cool experience and I really took the time to appreciate those moments. I’m happy to have had my first match with my brother. We still have a few years left and we want to take advantage of it. We each won a championship with our respective teams last year and the next goal is to win one together.”
Justin plays at linebacker and Étienne on the offensive line, but the two have found themselves on the field at the same time a few times. “We both play on the placement unit,” said Étienne. We thought about it in training, but it’s even better in the game.
A great sense of pride
In the stands, Father Jacques, who wore the colors of the Rouge et Or from 1995 to 1999 and who worked as an assistant coach from 2004 to 2012, his wife Isabelle Bouchard and his daughter Marie-Pier fully savored these magical moments.
“I am very proud of my sons, expressed the father who won the Vanier Cup in 1999. As a parent, you want your children to flourish regardless of the activity they practice. To see them reach this level of game in football and more and with the best team in Canada fills me with pride.
“There was a lot of emotion in the air, added the mother who, newly married for a few months, had taken a week’s vacation to attend the conquest of the first national title of the Rouge et Or in Toronto in 1999. I am very proud of my boys. I wasn’t nervous because I trust them. I was more nervous when Jacques was playing.
Privileged access
Cloutier was closely involved in the development of his two son athletes. “From an early age, they played soccer, swimming and gymnastics because we wanted to give them the tools to develop their skills instead of specializing too quickly. Both are lifeguards. They also played football in elementary school and with the mini Rouge et Or. We traveled the four corners of the province as a family.
If he practiced gymnastics until 1st secondary, Justin assures that he was never pushed towards football. “Since I was very young, I love football, he summarized. Football was the easy choice, but my parents never pushed me. As a water carrier and ball attendant, I had access to the locker room before the games and at halftime. I saw the players preparing and I heard Glen (Constantin)’s speeches. I grew up in football. Not everyone has had the chance to live these experiences.”
The coach is never far away
Jacques coached his sons with the Condors of Saint-Jean-Eudes and the Titans of Limoilou. Even today, he still lends a hand to Étienne who plays in the same position as him and who wears the same number 65. His presence helped Étienne in his transition from blocker to center.
“It’s really special that Étienne plays in the same position and wears the same number, underlined the professional engineer. He started his career as a blocker, but I told him to take every opportunity that presented itself. He developed as a center for two years and made throws in the basement. I still have my coaching eye and we watch films of Rouge et Or training.”
Étienne loves this new role. “I really like the cerebral aspect of the post of center, underlined the student who took the first step in the process of acceptance at the prestigious Harvard University upon leaving the college ranks. As for my choice of number, it’s no coincidence that I wear 65.”