The Montreal Alouettes are tackling a new challenge: learning French.
Through short language lessons, players are working to improve their French, embrace Quebec culture and build stronger connections with their teammates and fans.
Montreal Alouettes players and coaches take part in a French lesson in Montreal on Oct. 2, 2026. (CityNews)
For head coach Jason Maas, the lessons are about more than vocabulary and pronunciation. They are also a way for the team to show respect for the province and connect with its Francophone community.
“I think it’s something that speaks to respect of Quebec and where we are in Montreal,” Maas said.
“We know there’s an Anglophone and a Francophone culture here. And so, you know, we want our guys to be able to talk to all of our fans, whether that be English-speaking or French-speaking.”
Learning French, one lesson at a time
The lessons take place a day before every Alouettes home game and are led by Mélodie Aumais, the team’s marketing project coordinator.
Sessions last about 20 to 25 minutes and focus on practical vocabulary players can use in everyday situations, including shopping, restaurants, time and seasons.
“They can actually use those words in their everyday life,” Aumais said.
A question is displayed on a projector as Montreal Alouettes players and coaches take part in a French lesson in Montreal on Oct. 2, 2026. (CityNews)
The sessions also incorporate games to appeal to the players’ competitive nature.
Aumais said the initiative began with social media videos featuring players trying out their French. Joey Alfieri, the team’s director of content and communication, launched the videos about three years ago before Aumais took over the project.
She adds that the goal was to show fans that the players were making an effort to learn the province’s language and become more involved in its culture.
“We saw that it was working very well statistic-wise on social media, so we continued to do it,” Aumais said.
Aumais adds that the players have embraced the project, sometimes asking when the next video will be released.
Their enthusiasm has also translated into the classroom, where Aumais said she has noticed improvements in their pronunciation.
“At first, it was hard. The guys didn’t really know how to pronounce the words, but even our Francophone players have noticed that they’re getting better at pronunciation. They’re always trying to use as much French as they can, whether they’re speaking to us or simply saying good morning, ‘bon matin,’ things like that. So it’s starting to become more integrated into their everyday lives, which is fun.”
A little French goes a long way
For offensive lineman Pier-Olivier Lestage, a Francophone player, hearing his English-speaking teammates make the effort is meaningful.
“It’s really cool just to have English teammates to come at you in the morning and say bonjour instead of hi,” Lestage said. “It goes a long way and it’s really appreciated,” he said.
Lestage said players have improved particularly with basic greetings, although there is still room for progress.
“The guys are working hard and they’re competing, so it’s cool to see.”
He added that learning French also helps teammates understand what distinguishes Quebec from other parts of Canada.
“I think it’s important for them to know that this place, Quebec, is a little different. The culture is different.”
“French is the biggest reason why we’re different, I would say. So just for them to learn a little bit and know where we are and that the language that we speak here is French is really cool.”
Wide receiver Tyson Philpot said participating in the lessons is a way to support his Francophone teammates while embracing Montreal’s culture.
“Just embracing the culture of the city of Montreal and just, you know, it feels good because the guys on our team are, you know, Quebec-speaking and French-speaking,” Philpot said. “So just to show some support to those guys has been awesome.”
Philpot, who is from Vancouver, British Columbia, said learning to roll his Rs has been one of his biggest challenges. Although he doesn’t consider himself a strong French speaker yet, he feels he has retained a good amount from the lessons.
“I would say un petit peu,” he said.
Philpot also sees the effort as a way for the team to make a positive impression beyond the field. He remembered hearing about players on other teams who spoke French but felt they weren’t embraced because the language was not spoken around them. He said having an American player learn French can also make an impression on fans.
“Just giving back and just, you know, knowing that it’s more than ourselves.”
Putting the lessons into practice
For quarterback Davis Alexander, learning French is also about recognizing the pride his Quebec teammates and coaches take in their language.
He said making an effort to communicate in French can help connect the team with its fans, particularly those who speak French as their first language.
“We have a lot of coaches and players that speak French and are from Quebec. They take great pride in it, and we’re all one, so we take pride in it together for sure,” Alexander said.
Alexander said his previous experience studying Spanish has presented a challenge because he sometimes instinctively applies Spanish pronunciation when reading French words.
As for the classroom atmosphere, it can be lively.
“Everyone’s excited, everyone’s eager to just hear what the word is and what it might mean,” Alexander said.
“And I think we got a good group of guys and everyone’s, they’re trying their best for sure. But we do get, we’re a little competitive and a little rowdy, so sometimes it is a little hard to hear and figure out what exactly is going on,” he added.
For Maas, the challenge of learning a new language comes alongside the demands of preparing for professional football. Players must study weekly game plans and train while also working on their French. Still, he believes the effort is worthwhile.
“It’s a challenge, but it’s also something that enlightens them and makes them better people and honestly smarter,” Maas said.
“You can see the results because each and every week our guys get a little bit better at it. language, vocabulary grows. But it’s the connection that’s more than anything. And you’d love to see that happening in our building,”
A projector displays “French 101” ahead of a lesson for Montreal Alouettes players and coaches in Montreal on Oct. 2, 2026. (CityNews)
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