A Motivational Player

Simon Benoit, part of a formidable squad that has done no less than win the President Cup, makes success his mission. The Shawinigan Cataractes defenceman maintains academic grades over 90% in one of the most demanding programmes of study.

‘In order to open as many doors as possible, I chose to enroll in the Natural Sciences programme. I have always been attracted the the health field. I still don’t know what kind of work I want to do, but with good results in this programme, I’ll ensure my chances of being able to go farther,’ said the Benoît, who grew up in a family where studies came before all else.

‘My mom always said that hockey had nothing to do with good grades. That was always a plan B in my house; school being plan ‘A’, he smiled.

First Class Support

Simon was always gifted at school but he readily admits that the support offered by his team helped him a lot.

‘The team gives us everything we need to succeed. We have tutors for when we are on the road, and sometimes our professors give us individual classes so we can catch up on material that we missed when we were away. They are also a little more flexible on deadlines when we are away on longer tips. That way we can put all of our attention on getting results instead of having to go around in circles,’ he added.

Getting the Message Out

The players of the QMJHL can exert a strong influence on their younger fans. The Shawinigan Catarctes understand this and made the decision to emphasize the importance of school.

‘Every month one of our student players goes to an elementary school in our region to surprise a student. This will be a young person who has been chosen by the school because of their grades or perseverance. Our player goes to sort of congratulate them on their good work and to encourage them to keep it up,’ explained Stéphane Lajoie, who is in charge of the Cataractes’ study programme.

This initiative has so far allowed several young people to experience a memorable evening.

‘When we go into the schools, we give them 4 VIP tickets for a game, where they can come meet us afterward. For them it’s a big deal and you can tell they’re impressed. It’s great to see their reactions when we talk about the importance of their studies,’ explained Benoît, who knows a thing or two about that himself.