2023-11-18 04:00:00
Follow the Gray Cup game between the Alouettes and the Blue Bombers on Sunday from 5 p.m. with a pre-game show on RDS and on RDS.ca.
HAMILTON – Having lost his father at the age of 10, Jason Maas is adamant that there be a family spirit on his team. He made a great demonstration of this by integrating his boy, Bear, into the club entourage.
Maas has already recounted the tragic death of his father, who was a police officer. He was killed in 1986, at age 29, while making an arrest.
Away from his family for most of the season, his first as head coach in Montreal, Maas pulled himself together. Since his son was enjoying a week off from school in Alberta, he invited him to come to the Alouettes’ nest. Bear therefore had a front row seat to the victory in the Eastern final against Toronto.
It’s hard to know if it was a good luck charm, but he won’t miss anything from Maas’ first appearance in the Gray Cup game as head coach.
“My son’s presence couldn’t be more precious. I cherish every moment I spend with my boy, girl or wife. When you are a father and you have a young boy, it is a very strong feeling,” Maas told RDS.ca.
“When he is near me, I want to protect him, I want him to be the best,” Maas added sensitively.
“And I have to say, selfishly, it’s just very enjoyable for me. I want to enjoy it with what I have experienced in my life. Those who have gone through similar ordeals can understand well,” continued Maas, who hopes that his memory will never erase the distant memories lived with his father.
By attending several Alouettes training sessions, we could see that Bear does not hold back from his neighbor. His athletic agility is noticeable and it seems that he manages to defeat several Alouettes players in the small friendly competitions that have been established in the locker room (pickleball, mini-basketball, ping-pong, mini-putt, etc.).
“Bear wants to become a professional athlete. So I want him to experience what it’s like in this environment, to be part of a united group. By spending time with our team, he quickly understands several important things in life,” Maas aptly targeted.
Consistent in his words, Maas does not reserve this privilege only for his family. He encourages his group of coaches and players to act in the same direction earlier. Thus, Luc Brodeur-Jourdain developed the habit of providing one day of practice per week in the final stretch of the season to his stepson, Thomas, who has an autism spectrum disorder.
“Jason is super happy when Thomas comes so our family can experience what we are experiencing. It will continue this week, he will be at training on Saturday, for the Gray Cup,” confided Brodeur-Jourdain who will also be able to count on the support of his wife, his two children, his brothers and their children in Hamilton.
This aspect of Maas’ personal life even united the group more.
“When you know what he went through as a child, you can feel that he truly cares about our happiness and fulfillment in life. That he could tell us about his father’s death brought us closer to him. It’s day and night as a team. The bond between the players, I’ve probably never seen that before,” said William Stanback.Jason Maas
The ball carrier will be able to enjoy the Gray Cup game by playing in front of his wife and two children.
“It’s a huge privilege that they’re here, we’ve been talking about winning the Gray Cup all year. Even my son, who is five years old, is starting to understand how important a championship is to us. He had school this week, but every day he kept asking me if the game was tomorrow, he couldn’t wait for it to happen,” Stanback said.
“I told him, ‘When we win, because I know we will, you will be on the field with me celebrating,’” he added.
Young dad, special teams coordinator Byron Archambault appreciates Maas’ openness.
“Family is always welcome in the stadium and in the office. If you have an obligation to the family, you can go as long as you do your job. By establishing such an atmosphere, it makes you want to work for him. It makes everything more pleasant and he also knows how to laugh and have fun,” mentioned Archambault.
“This approach encourages people to work even harder. This is one of the reasons for our team’s success, I am convinced. The guys want to help others, it feels like family and you will make any sacrifice for your family,” Maas reacted.
That said, there are also Alouettes players who will have to play this game alone. This is the case of Reggie Stubblefield whose family lives in Texas.
“It’s unfortunate that they were so far away, no one could attend the meeting. I’m always alone and maybe that’s why they call me Uno, but that’s okay. I’m going to play for them, I know they’re going to watch the game and I’m going to give them a good show,” said the rookie, who had a bit of a heavy heart when broaching the subject.
But Stubblefield promises to win to call his loved ones and celebrate from a distance, but also to taste this championship with his Alouettes family who would no longer be able to do without him.
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