Players ranging from 13 to 17 years of age shared a total amount of $25,000 divided into eight bursaries of $2,000 (Elite category) and nine bursaries of $1,000 (Hopeful category).
“It’s always a pleasure to be part of this event because it’s an important aspect of the team’s vocation, which is to promote and develop soccer throughout the province”, said Montreal Impact president Joey Saputo. “It’s part of our mission but it’s also an investment for the future of our sport and our team. As a professional club, we want to assume our role as a leader to support a new generation of soccer players, to help them and to provide for them the best framework possible.”
“The Montreal Impact bursaries program is a concrete example of the Impact’s desire to be present in Quebec’s community scene. I congratulate the club for supporting young athletes who aren’t yet well known and who don’t have access to much financial support”, declared Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence president Claude Chagnon.
Once again this year, the Impact maintained a steady presence in the regions, notably through its Jos Louis Public Practices, held across the province. In 2007, the Impact’s reserve team, the Trois-Rivières Attak, played its first season in the Canadian Soccer League and won the Open Canada Cup.
Furthermore, the Saputo Stadium, which will be the new home of the Impact in 2008, will be built exclusively for soccer to promote the development of the game in Quebec. The stadium will host regional, provincial and national soccer tournaments, as well as international games.
In October 2005, the Impact announced it would award $75,000 in bursaries over three years, with the creation of the Montreal Impact Bursaries program. In 2005, the Impact gave an initial amount of $24,000 to 16 young promising athletes and last year, they awarded $25,000 to 17 athletes.
The Montreal Impact Bursaries program is managed by the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence, in collaboration with the Quebec Soccer Federation, who identifies the elite and hopeful athletes.
2007 RECIPIENTS OF THE MONTREAL IMPACT BURSARIES PROGRAM
NAME AGE CATEGORY BURSARY RESIDENCE
MEGAN BELAFI 15 Hopeful $1,000 Montreal
CATHERINE CHARRON-DELAGE 15 Hopeful $1,000 Longueuil
HUGO LAPOINTE-SÉNÉCAL 14 Hopeful $1,000 St-Augustin
SHADRACK MMUNGA 13 Hopeful $1,000 Quebec
HUGO-ALEXANDER MURGAS-NERIO 14 Hopeful $1,000 Montreal
AMELIA PIETRANGELO 14 Hopeful $1,000 Laval
ALESSANDRO RIGGI 14 Hopeful $1,000 Montreal
SARAH ROBBINS 15 Hopeful $1,000 Montreal
JEANKENSON SUCCES 14 Hopeful $1,000 Montreal
FRANCESCO AUGUSTIN 15 Elite $2,000 Cartierville
SARAH BOUCHER 16 Elite $2,000 Ste-Brigitte-de-Laval
MÉLISSA BUSQUE 17 Elite $2,000 Saint-Bruno
SAMUEL DE CHANTAL DUMONT 16 Elite $2,000 St-Alexandre
JULIEN LATENDRESSE-LÉVESQUE 16 Elite $2,000 Chambly
PASCALE PINARD 17 Elite $2,000 Trois-Rivières
BAHAR SANSAR 17 Elite $2,000 Longueuil
MOHAMED SYLLA 17 Elite $2,000 Pierrefonds
ABOUT THE MONTREAL IMPACT
Since its relaunch in 2002, with the participation of major partners such as the Quebec Government, Hydro-Quebec and Saputo, the Montreal Impact has become a non-profit organization. Profits are reinvested in the development of soccer in Quebec.
ABOUT THE QUEBEC FOUNDATION FOR ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE
The Foundation’s mission is to financially help and support student-athletes in their pursuit of excellence and to contribute to providing role models for Quebec society at large. The Foundation will have given, by the end of 2007, near $600,000 in bursaries through its various programs. Visit the website at: www.faeq.com.
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SOURCES :
Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
514-328-3668, Ext. 27
Annie Pelletier, FAEQ
514-252-3171, Ext. 3538
