Chateauguay school brings back football program after nearly 50 years
Howard S. Billings High School is turning on the Friday night lights, bringing back its tackle football team after a nearly 50-year hiatus.
"This is super exciting. We haven't had football here at Billings for a very long time," said manager Sophie Caisse.
Caisee says her excitement is shared by the entire school community.
Now, as the Billings Blazers prepare to make their comeback, players hope they live up to expectations.
"It feels good to know that, but at the same time, we have something to prove coming into a new league as a new team," said student athlete Jahki Parkinson.
The team is open to grade 10 and 11 students. Head coach Luc Pelland says the team's resurgence is due to several factors, but mostly to help keep teenagers in school.
"Let's keep them busy, let's keep them off the streets, teach them a great game where they will make friends and learn good habits and increase the school spirit," Pelland told CTV News.
While he has 25 years of experience coaching at the CEGEP and university levels with Concordia and McGill, this is Pelland's first high school gig.
"It’s a little different. I'm used to working with older men, so I've had to, maybe, watch my language a little bit more," he laughed. "But you know, football is football."
Howard S. Billings High School in Chateauguay, Que. is bringing back its tackle football team after almost 5 decades. (CTV News/Olivia O'Malley)
Future players hope to learn from his experience and take their game to the next level.
"I'm still learning the game, and I'm hoping with coach Pelland and everyone helping me out, I'll just get better by the year and go onto CEGEP," said grade 10 student Thomas Granberg.
There are still about three months to go, but the almost five-decade wait will be worth it when the team steps onto the field.
"I really hope when it comes to game time, a ton of people are going to show up. It's going to be really good," said Granberg.
The high school season officially starts in late August.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.