(Bromont) When he was young, Benjamin St-Juste and his parents had to travel the United States so that he could participate in different football camps and thus refine his art. Now that he plays in the NFL, he wants to help local talent develop at home.
It is with this in mind that the cornerback of the Washington Commanders accepted the invitation from Martin Robert to chair the Fondation l’Originale, which organizes various activities to allow young Quebec football players to improve without having to exile across the border.
The latter held its very first benefit golf tournament on Monday morning, at Domaine Château-Bromont. Several athletes from various sports participated, including Luguentz Dort, Mikaël Kingsbury and Jonathan Huberdeau, to name a few.
“When I was growing up, I saw that there was a lack of opportunities, whether football camps, resources or opportunities to show our talents as young Quebec athletes,” explained St-Juste on the sidelines of the ‘event.
Last Sunday, the Original Foundation held a flag football camp bringing together more than a hundred female athletes. Starting July 6, the fourth edition of the Retour à l’Origine development camp will welcome more than 400 student-athletes aged 13 to 18 at Curé-Antoine-Labelle high school in Laval. A pilot project for schools is also due to be launched in September 2025.
“We want to leave Laval and go to the higher stratospheres. Our goal is to have an impact,” says Martin Robert, who also runs the company Invictus, specializing in personalized football gloves.
It should be noted that St-Juste insisted that the foundation with which he was associated not bear his name. “Any person can be original in what they do,” he insists.
“We wanted all the athletes to be able to give back through us,” adds Martin Robert. […] Well, at the moment, he is very cool, very young, he has lots of energy. But at some point, he will no longer be the top. We want to ensure that in the future, there is always an athlete who can be the spokesperson to give back to the next generations. »
Until he reaches such a stage, St-Juste will try to build on his success from last campaign on NFL fields, when he made 67 tackles in 16 games, as well as 1 sack and 1 interception.
Casually, the Montrealer will already be in his fourth season with the Commanders, which will make him one of the most experienced elements in the team’s secondary. St-Juste, however, refuses to impose additional pressure on himself in this regard.
No. 25 was also complimentary of rookie quarterback Sam Hartman, as well as his new head coach Dan Quinn, whose motto, he said, is to remain competitive in all aspects of football, gym to field to team meetings.
“He has a lot of experience, but he brings a young energy,” notes St-Juste. He is very good at connecting with players and delivering his message in a way that is easy for players to learn. […] When he says something, he means it. It’s beautiful to see, it’s refreshing. I think that’s what we needed. »
But before going to help his teammates in Washington, Benjamin St-Juste will give a helping hand to young people who perhaps dream of imitating him, by giving them the chance he would have liked to have.
