Jean-Yves Jeaurond

As the oldest boy in a large Catholic family, Jean-Yves of Glen Robertson was supposed to follow religious practice and become a priest.

Instead, he followed Glengarry sporting tradition and became a superb athlete venturing into almost every area of every sport available, all the time maintaining his faith.

From badminton to soccer, from hockey rink to the football side lines, he did it all: playing, coaching, refereeing, mentoring… and in both French and English to boot.

While he attended Monfort Seminary in Papineauville, Jearound played hockey, tennis and baseball. When he returned to the area to become a student at Glengarry District High School, he won the Senior Boys track and field championships in 1958 and ’59, gaining the nickname “Gonzales” for his incredible speed and jumping abilities.

He also played hockey for the Lochiel Loks and went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Physical and Health Eduction from the University of Ottawa.

A true Glengarrian, Jeaurond returned to the Alexandria are. He married the late Lise Proulx of Glen Robertson, had four children and started a teaching career at GDHS that would last 32 years.

His love of sports was insatiable. Not only did he teach physical education, shop and French class, he coached, mentored and helped take the high school Gaels to numerous championships in a variety of sports, including football, a game he’d never even played.

His list of awards are is endless as is the number of athletes he’s guided along the way, including those that played for the BC Lions, Hamilton Tiger Cats, Calgary Stampeders, Ottawa Sooners, and Boston Bruins.

But it wasn’t just the boys. This incredible man truly believed that everyone, including girls, should have the opportunity to play, coach or referee any sport they liked. And so he introduced girl’s ringuette and refereeing to the area, and went on to host many carnival queen ceremonies.

A community man at heart, Jeaurond not only played badminton, tennis, baseball, basketball, hockey, wrestling, and so on, he sand in the church choir, joined Council, and was president of the Club Richelieu. Sports, community and family are still of utmost importance and that’s why Jean-Yves Jeaurond prides himself on what he’s passed on to others… en français et en anglais!