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Montreal Alouettes players and coaches take part in a French lesson in Montreal on Oct. 2, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\nThe Montreal Alouettes are tackling a new challenge: learning French.<\/p>\n
Through short language lessons, players are working to improve their French, embrace Quebec culture and build stronger connections with their teammates and fans.<\/p>\n
Montreal Alouettes players and coaches take part in a French lesson in Montreal on Oct. 2, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s something that speaks to respect of Quebec and where we are in Montreal,\u201d Maas said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know there\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Learning French, one lesson at a time<\/p>\n
The lessons take place a day before every Alouettes home game and are led by M\u00e9lodie Aumais, the team\u2019s marketing project coordinator.<\/p>\n
Sessions last about 20 to 25 minutes and focus on practical vocabulary players can use in everyday situations, including shopping, restaurants, time and seasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can actually use those words in their everyday life,\u201d Aumais said.<\/p>\n
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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)<\/p>\n
The sessions also incorporate games to appeal to the players\u2019 competitive nature.<\/p>\n
Aumais said the initiative began with social media videos featuring players trying out their French. Joey Alfieri, the team\u2019s director of content and communication, launched the videos about three years ago before Aumais took over the project.<\/p>\n
She adds that the goal was to show fans that the players were making an effort to learn the province\u2019s language and become more involved in its culture.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe saw that it was working very well statistic-wise on social media, so we continued to do it,\u201d Aumais said.<\/p>\n
Aumais adds that the players have embraced the project, sometimes asking when the next video will be released.<\/p>\n
Their enthusiasm has also translated into the classroom, where Aumais said she has noticed improvements in their pronunciation. <\/p>\n
\u201cAt first, it was hard. The guys didn\u2019t really know how to pronounce the words, but even our Francophone players have noticed that they\u2019re getting better at pronunciation. They\u2019re always trying to use as much French as they can, whether they\u2019re speaking to us or simply saying good morning, \u2018bon matin,\u2019 things like that. So it\u2019s starting to become more integrated into their everyday lives, which is fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
A little French goes a long way<\/p>\n
For offensive lineman Pier-Olivier Lestage, a Francophone player, hearing his English-speaking teammates make the effort is meaningful.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really cool just to have English teammates to come at you in the morning and say bonjour instead of hi,\u201d Lestage said. \u201cIt goes a long way and it\u2019s really appreciated,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Lestage said players have improved particularly with basic greetings, although there is still room for progress.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe guys are working hard and they\u2019re competing, so it\u2019s cool to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that learning French also helps teammates understand what distinguishes Quebec from other parts of Canada.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s important for them to know that this place, Quebec, is a little different. The culture is different.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cFrench is the biggest reason why we\u2019re 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wide receiver Tyson Philpot said participating in the lessons is a way to support his Francophone teammates while embracing Montreal\u2019s culture.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust 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,\u201d Philpot said. \u201cSo just to show some support to those guys has been awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
Philpot, who is from Vancouver, British Columbia, said learning to roll his Rs has been one of his biggest challenges. Although he doesn\u2019t consider himself a strong French speaker yet, he feels he has retained a good amount from the lessons.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say un petit peu,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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\u2019t embraced because the language was not spoken around them. He said having an American player learn French can also make an impression on fans.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust giving back and just, you know, knowing that it\u2019s more than ourselves.\u201d <\/p>\n
Putting the lessons into practice<\/p>\n
For quarterback Davis Alexander, learning French is also about recognizing the pride his Quebec teammates and coaches take in their language.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a lot of coaches and players that speak French and are from Quebec. They take great pride in it, and we\u2019re all one, so we take pride in it together for sure,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n
Alexander said his previous experience studying Spanish has presented a challenge because he sometimes instinctively applies Spanish pronunciation when reading French words.<\/p>\n
As for the classroom atmosphere, it can be lively. <\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone\u2019s excited, everyone\u2019s eager to just hear what the word is and what it might mean,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I think we got a good group of guys and everyone\u2019s, they\u2019re trying their best for sure. But we do get, we\u2019re a little competitive and a little rowdy, so sometimes it is a little hard to hear and figure out what exactly is going on,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a challenge, but it\u2019s also something that enlightens them and makes them better people and honestly smarter,\u201d Maas said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can see the results because each and every week our guys get a little bit better at it. language, vocabulary grows. But it\u2019s the connection that\u2019s more than anything. And you\u2019d love to see that happening in our building,\u201d<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\tA projector displays \u201cFrench 101\u201d ahead of a lesson for Montreal Alouettes players and coaches in Montreal on Oct. 2, 2026. (CityNews) <\/p>\n
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