Alouettes coach getting early start on CFL food drive

Raised by a single mother who gave birth at age 17 and was financially challenged, Luc Brodeur-jourdain knew better than most the hardships a child can endure.

“We didn’t starve,” the Alouettes assistant offensive line coach said Friday during a conference call from his home in St-damase, near St-hyacinthe.

“She did everything to make sure we had a roof over our heads and that we got food. Bottom line — we weren’t a very rich family back then.”

Brodeur-jourdain, who retired last year following 11 seasons as the Als’ centre, is promoting the Canadian Football League’s annual Purolator Tackle Hunger initiative. He’s serving as the team’s spokesperson for the national food drive that benefits local food banks.

The program normally begins in June. Fans in each CFL market are asked to donate money or non-perishable food items before a home game at each stadium. But the drive commenced early this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Fans are being urged to donate online.

“When you’re starving, it’s two strikes against you early in life,” said Brodeur-jourdain, who will record several videos as part of his responsibilities, along with making a donation.

Throughout his playing career, Brodeur-jourdain, the last player selected in the 2008 Canadian college draft, was always generous with his time. The articulate 37-year-old played at Université de Laval and made 97 consecutive starts for the Als before suffering two torn knee ligaments in the penultimate game of the 2015 season against the Eskimos in Edmonton.

With the Als fighting for their playoff lives, he returned to the game after being checked by a team physician in the dressing room — basically playing on one leg.

Brodeur-jourdain was the 2017 recipient of the Jake Gaudaur Veteran’s Award, given to the CFL player who best demonstrates strength, perseverance, courage, comradeship and contribution to Canadian communities.

Brodeur-jourdain and the Als coaching staff conducted weekly meetings throughout the winter and were ready for training camp, which was scheduled to begin on May 17, but subsequently cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Games won’t begin before September, at the earliest, if at all. When CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie testified Thursday before the House of Commons standing committee on finance, he said the entire season will probably be cancelled.

The league is seeking $30 million immediately, and up to $150 million in financial assistance from the federal government.

“You always prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario, even if they say the worst case is the most likely scenario,” Brodeur-jourdain said.

He believes conducting some kind of a season remains realistic, but the CFL will have to be creative while ensuring safety measures remain paramount.

“All of society, we’ve adjusted to keep things rolling. It’s been very difficult,” Brodeur-jourdain said. “For years to come, it’s going to have an impact on our way to live. We took things for granted. Now, it’s impacted our lives and it’s going to change many things.”

Since the Tackle Hunger program began in 2003, it has collected the equivalent of almost six million kilograms of food. That translates into approximately 18 million meals.

Donations can be made at Tacklehunger.ca.