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Life is good these days for Grade 12 Louis-Riel high school student Matthieu Franche.
The product of the Louis-Riel sports-study program has an NCAA Div. 1 hockey scholarship locked up and recently joined one of the strongest teams in Central Canada Jr. ‘A’ Hockey League.
Franche, who was in the French public school’s unique sports-études initiative during his Grade 9 and 10 years before breaking into the CCHL with the Cumberland Grads, credits the program for playing a key role in his success.
It was a particularly tough transition as a 16-year-old jumping into a league against many men age 19 and 20, Franche highlights, but he was glad to have acquired the tools and traits needed for success from coaches with major junior hockey experience of their own.
The physical training led by conditioning coach Jean-Robert Léger in the sports-études program was also particularly instrumental, adds the 6’3”, 189-lb. defender.
“When you have the chance to be on the ice three times a week with your school and when you’re training at the Dome @ Louis-Riel with JR, it helps a lot,” Franche underlines. “It gives you an advantage over all the other players.”
As a ‘AAA’ competitive player for the Eastern Ontario Wild earlier in his career, Franche would often miss classes on Fridays for weekend tournaments out of town, but was thankful to have a supportive school that offered flexibility and an understanding of what’s required for students to succeed both as high-performance athletes and academically.
That accommodating mentality is also especially appreciated for Franche now that he has additional travel requirements as a member of the Smiths Falls Bears, where he was traded in mid-November.
Part of last year’s Cumberland Grads resurgence into a playoff team, Franche is now part of a championship contender with the Bears, who are in a tight battle for first-place overall.
The high school senior will likely chase a CCHL title next year as well in his final season of junior hockey eligibility while taking courses at Carleton University or the University of Ottawa. Then it will be on to Massachusetts and the Merrimack College Warriors, to whom he’s made a verbal commitment.
“I’ll jump on the chance to go to school and play hockey – the two things I love to do the most,” outlines Franche, who is a tall, right-handed defenceman like one of Louis-Riel’s most-recognized grads – Erik Gudbranson of the Vancouver Canucks.
“Everyone wants to play pro hockey. The odds aren’t great, but I’m going to give it my all to reach that goal,” adds Franche. “But what’s most important is that I’m having fun every moment.”