Emergency QB

By Mitch Gallo

Like many young athletes in Montreal, Marc-Olivier Brouillette grew up playing hockey. When he was six years old he started playing football too. And in 1995, Brouillette had to make a decision: football or hockey.

He was faced with the decision when his father got ill and it was became a lot for his mother to drive him and his brother to two sports. The result, Marc-Olivier chose football and his brother chose hockey.

The rest is history. After being drafted by the Montreal Alouettes in the third round of this year’s draft, Brouillette has cracked the roster. Not as a quarterback, the position he’s played exclusively since he was six years, but at linebacker.

“The transition is going well, it’s different as I’m still trying to pick up the technical aspect, getting my body into position to make plays,” said Brouillette. “But in terms of the schemes and playbook it’s going well.”

In terms of his build, the move appears to be a match made in heaven. He’s six-feet, 230 pound and his number one responsibility, when he plays, will be to stop the run.

His path to get to the CFL is a story on its own. Brouillette had the choice; try out for the Alouettes or practice law. Torn between the two, it was actually a lawyer who helped sway him to pursue his dream of playing professional football.

“He told me his biggest regret was declining an invitation to the Junior National Ski team,” said Brouillette. “He said, work isn’t going anywhere, the big law firms aren’t going anywhere, chase your dream and give it all you got. If it doesn’t work out then you can enter the business world later.”

This happened during his second year at the University of Montreal, a time where Brouillette developed relationships that he knows will last a lifetime.

“That class of 2006, the guys grew to become very good friends,” said Brouillette. “We developed a bond at U of M and we were always pushing each other to get better, stronger and faster. That’s something I will always remember and 15 or 20 years down the road, if we run into each other it will be as if we never skipped a beat.”

It was the second game of the pre season against the Toronto Argonauts where Brouillette was able to prove to the coaching staff that he belonged. Now, Brouillette can’t wait to suit up for his hometown team, at Percival Molson Stadium, as a member of the Montreal Alouettes.

“It will be special. Since the Alouettes came back to Montreal, as a young French Canadian it was always about the Als and the Canadiens. Getting a chance to put on the jersey in a regular season situation will be something special and a great accomplishment.”