The Montreal Victoire’s Laura Stacey is being lauded for her latest interview in the French language.
The team’s alternate captain spoke to RDS’s Catherine Savoie (at the 11-minute mark of this video) as the players were getting ready for Game 3 against the Ottawa Charge at the Canadian Tire Centre on Monday.
The star forward, who is originally from Kleinburg in southern Ontario, described how it was important for the team to “focus on ourselves” and to “play our game.”
Stacey switches briefly to English at one point, saying “Of course they are against us. Mais encore une fois, c’est très important pour nous de focus sur nous-mêmes et profitez-en.”
The interview during the Walter Cup final prompted an outpouring of support from fans, many of whom were touched Stacey made the effort to speak in French.
“As a Québécois, I have nothing but respect for her,” one user replied on X. “She’s making a huge effort and I, for one, appreciate it!”
“How can you not love her for that effort,” another wrote.
Others appeared to relate to Stacey directly, with one man noting he grew up in Montreal and that “she speaks better Franglais than me.”
“I’m obsessed with her French. It reminds me of Toronto high school franglais. I mean this so lovingly,” another user replied.
Stacey also happens to be married to Victoire captain and teammate Marie-Philip Poulin. Last month, she told The Gazette that she was “really, really happy” to play and enjoy her experience in Montreal over the last few years.
The three-time Olympic medallist also spoke highly of the support from the fans, saying Montreal is her “home now.”
Stacey’s education on the French language has been progressing with Poulin’s help, including some videos posted by Radio-Canada this season in which she learns Quebec expressions and plays Guess Who with Poulin in French.
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