Jourdenais taking winning streak to next level

It's been a long time since Jason Jourdenais lost a football game as head coach of the bantam AAA North Shore Lions. And now, he won't get another chance to lose one.

Jourdenais was recently named the new head coach of the Midget AAA North Shore Mustangs, succeeding Justin McHugh, who took the John Abbott College head job.

Jourdenais will take a personal 69-game winning streak into next year's midget opener.

The last game Jourdenais lost at the helm of a North Shore team?

That was the 2003 provincial finals, when the Lions dropped a 7-6 decision to the Chateauguay Raiders on a windswept Stade Hebert field in St. Leonard. Since then, Jourdenais has guided the Lions to 69 straight wins and championships in 2004, '05, '06, '07' and 2008.

"The North Shore association is structured in such a way that we get a lot of good players coming out of peewee and that gives us an advantage, but I also think we've been successful because of our coaching, and the coaches that have worked here over the years," he said.

Jourdenais, who coached at the peewee level before taking the Lions job in January 2003, said he likes to have more than one coach at each position so kids get more one-on-one attention in terms of coaching and evaluation.

"The kids are far from physically developed when we get them at 12 or 13 years old, and sometimes, that requires a change of position almost immediately. So, for coaches with our teams, it's as much about evaluating the player and where he might fit in. Just as North Shore takes graduating its players seriously, I take graduating my coaches seriously," he said.

Jourdenais, who runs the food services at the Sportplex 4 Glaces in Pierrefonds, coaching has also helped him re-think his priorities in life. He's currently pursuing a teaching degree at McGill University.

"I love working with the kids. That's the real reward. The highlight has always been working with the kids, and that's what I like to do," he said.

Coaches who have worked with Jourdenais and former players are unanimous in their praise for him.

"He's an enthusiastic guy who definitely knows what he wants to see and how to get to that point, and that's what you need to have in a head coach," said former Lions offensive co-ordinator Scott DeWitt, now the Mustangs' quarterbacks coach. "Working with him is great because you get the feeling he wants to hear your opinion and he values that input."

Former Lions running back Shane McKenna said playing for Jourdenais in 2004 and 2005 was a highlight of his football career.

"When I was growing up, all I wanted to do was play for the Lions and when I got the chance, working with Coach Jay was awesome, because he's close to the players and you can see he really cares about you."

Indeed, being tight with the players and understanding their diverse needs are one of Jourdenais' strengths.

"We have one of the most diverse player bases in the league. We have players of every colour, religion and ethnic background you can think of. I have to respect their backgrounds, their traditions and their holidays. Every player is different, and some of these kids have to work nights just so there'll be food on the table at home, and being able to handle each kid's case personally is great for me because I have such a great core of coaches working with me," he said.

For more information on the North Shore Lions, their 2008 season, or registration, visit them online at www.northshorelions.ca.