Lesage named Falcon for life
DRS hockey’s biggest fan gets his due
ATTLEBORO — For the past three seasons, Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk varsity hockey could always count on smiles, hugs, and high-fives — win or lose — as they exited the ice after a hard-fought game.
Jason Lesage has been at every game since 2017 to meet and greet the team, distributing congratulations, mean mugging for the camera, or just providing an uplifting laugh.
Lesage is the uncle of senior captain Brenden Santos and would not miss his nephew and the five other seniors on the team play on the ice. He has grown up rooting for the crew.
Lesage, who has Down syndrome, was adopted by the team as “one of the boys.”
Santos would not have it any other way.
“(Jason) has been at all of our games no matter where it was and he even made our playoff game last year. Before the games he will come into the locker room and hype us up a little bit, give us a little pep talk,” said Santos. “He’s always here to support the entire team.”
But COVID-19 had threatened to make Lesage and the usual routine a distant memory for Santos and the Falcons. The pre- and post-game joy for Lesage and his team were no longer a sure thing. Protocols only allow two parents per player to each home game and absolutely no visitors to any road game for the entire MIAA hockey season.
So Athletic Director John Moran approved a special waiver for Lesage to attend every home game as an honorary team captain.
Problem solved. Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk can now build on their first-round playoff exit from last season with their most passionate fanatic front and center.
“Jay is awesome as he is our No. 1 fan and pretty much comes to every home game and everyone on the team loves him and I think he loves everyone on the team,” said tri-captain Carter Foley. “I really think he helps boost the dynamic of the team. Everyone
embraces Jay — he’s part of the team.”
The Falcons made Jason an official Falcon for life last season in a pre-game celebration when coach Tom Fecteau presented Lesage with a team jacket to certify what Lesage has meant to the team. The entire roster and parents all chipped in for the jacket that might as well have been a diamond ring or a Stanley Cup trophy to the team’s biggest supporter.
The gesture left Lesage a little choked up — maybe nervous, a little shy — but his one-word response said plenty.
“Proud,” said Lesage. “We presented (Jason) with the jacket before one of our games and he was ecstatic,” said Fecteau. “It’s tough to describe, but he’s really taken to this team, really loves the kids, and loves watching them play and rooting for them. He stands behind them and looks forward to every single game.”
For Jason and the Falcons, the season began last Wednesday as Wareham/ Carver visited the New England Sports Village in Attleboro for the Falcons first home game.
“I first met Jay freshman year and he’s been with us ever since and he’s great to have around, he’s there for us after the games, before the games, he’s been in the locker room, he’s just great to have around,” said fellow captain Wyatt Nastar, a returning South Coast Conference AllStar. “I think with all the stuff going on this season I think it’s cool to include that this season is for Jay as well. I think we need to make that one of our priorities and basically make the most out of this season.”
Lesage has been a big part of the team’s post-game home celebrations at The Barn, a restaurant attached to the home ice for DRS at New England Sports Village. But like most extracurricular activities in the past 11 months, The Barn is closed. The big family gatherings must wait, so a deep run for Jason, the six seniors on the team, and the Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk hockey family is the only way to possibly get back to a normal environment where all can assemble again.
Pictures and chatter, for now, have to be outside the ice arena, where Lesage still bumped elbows with all the players as they came to the front doors for the final practice before the home opener. Nastar, the senior defenseman, put it perfectly.
“Out of all us, Jay deserves this. He earned it.”