HOCKEY. Dominic Ricard and Guillaume Latendresse are among the experts appointed to the Quebec committee on hockey development.
Created by the Government of Quebec, the objectives of this committee are “to return its letters of nobility to our national sport, to transmit to young people a taste for hockey and to adequately develop Québec talent in a positive and safe context.” Prime Minister François Legault and Deputy Minister Isabelle Charest made the announcement Thursday at the Bell Center.
The Quebec hockey development committee is made up of 15 people, including a president and 14 members whose expertise is recognized in the community. His presidency was entrusted to Marc Denis, a former goalkeeper of the National Hockey League (NHL) actively involved in this sport in Quebec.
The mandate of the committee is to establish a portrait of the situation of hockey in Quebec, to raise the problems in the development of hockey and to find possible solutions to ensure the future of this sport. The committee will make recommendations on actions to prioritize according to the Quebec model of athlete development.
“It is with pride and humility that I accept this important mandate in the eyes of a nation passionate about sport that has shaped me,” said Marc Denis. Unifying and constructive teamwork begins now. I rigorously and frankly approach the role of captain of an experienced team that will know how to positively impact our young people, eager to practice a sport that gives them pleasure. The committee looks forward to recommending solutions that meet our collective ambitions with optimism. “
Dominic Ricard, former CEO and head coach of the Drummondville Voltigeurs, is currently an advisor to the CAA players agency. The Drummondville hockey man helped found the League of High School Hockey (LHPS) and is still part of the Senators’ hockey program at Collège Saint-Bernard.
Guillaume Latendresse defended the Voltigeurs colors for three seasons before making the leap to professional hockey. The former coach and CEO of Riverains du Collège Charles-Lemoyne is now an analyst at TVA Sports.
The other members of the committee are Stéphane Auger, Dany Dubé, Yanik Gagné, Martin Lavallée, Albert Marier, Caroline Ouellette, Geneviève Paquette, Stéphane Quintal, Danièle Sauvageau, Kim St-Pierre, Jocelyn Thibault and Marc Durand. The committee’s report is scheduled for March 31, 2022.
“Hockey is our national sport,” said Prime Minister François Legault. It is part of our identity, our pride and also part of the pleasures of life. Thanks to the creation of a committee of experts to relaunch the development of hockey, I hope that we will witness the rebirth of hockey in Quebec. This is how we will once again become a breeding ground for talent. This is how Quebec will once again become a powerhouse in hockey. ” (JH)
