Rosemère, March 1, 2018 – Mayor Eric Westram and his colleagues on Rosemère's Town Council invited young Rosemère footballer Benjamin St-Juste to sign the Town's guest book during a tribute to him held today at the municipal library's solarium. The event took place in the presence of his family and young Rosemerite footballers on teams within the Association régionale de football Laurentides-Lanaudière.

"With his talent, his admirable career path, his strength of character and his determination, Benjamin St-Juste, at 20 years old, already has the makings of a winner. In the Town of Rosemère, we are proud of him and are convinced that his career path will inspire many young budding athletes in our community, who will want to follow in his footsteps or perfect their skills in whatever sports discipline they choose. Practising such a sporting discipline also gives youngsters an opportunity to develop wonderful values that will last throughout their lifetime," emphasized Mayor Eric Westram.

Since January 2017, Benjamin St-Juste has been playing for the University of Michigan's Wolverines, one of the most prestigious football programs in the United States. After having brilliantly completed each stage of the demanding training camp, he played his first game as a cornerback with the Wolverines in the fall of 2017. Not many Québec football players have reached the highest levels of American varsity football.

At the age of 9, Benjamin St-Juste learned baseball basics with the Laurentides-Lanaudière Wildcats. From age 12 to 15, he further developed his skills in joining Les Loups at Curé Antoine-Labelle high school in Laval.

In 2014, at the age of 16, the young footballer joined the Spartiates at Cégep du Vieux-Montréal as well as the Team Québec selection camp. At the end of that camp, however, he was cut from the program. This setback motivated him to redouble his efforts to progress and make his mark. He then began intensive training in the gym and on the field to improve his technique, returned to college to graduate within the required timeframe and took part in other training camps in the United States--all with one goal in mind: to be accepted at an American university by the end of 2016.

It was after evaluating his performance at his first American summer camp in 2015, in Albany, New York, where his parents had enrolled him, that the University of Michigan recognized his potential and offered him, at the end of 2016, a full four-year scholarship for his studies and enrolment in the football program.

It is therefore through his determination and perseverance, the constant encouragement of his parents who always believed in him and the strict, motivating coaches, that Benjamin St-Juste has reached where he is today. He is proud of his career path, although he is aware that he still needs to improve his technique and perfect his game before becoming eligible for the National Football League (NFL) draft. He is confident in his future because of his strong motivation.

Guest book

The Town's guest book highlights personalities' visits to Rosemère as well as the outstanding commitment of residents who have distinguished themselves in an area of activity by accomplishing a remarkable achievement. The signatures that are found there represent an official gesture of recognition by the Town and are part of the collective memory.

- 30 -