CFL.ca
Toronto – The Canadian Football League announced the winners of the 2015 season individual honours during the festivities surrounding the 103rd Grey Cup. In addition to having a lights-out season, veteran offensive lineman Jeff Perrett was awarded the Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Trophy, awarded annually to the player who best demonstrates the qualities of Canadian Veterans: strength, perseverance, courage, camaraderie and community involvement.
Perrett saw his courage recognized after openly and publicly discussing his battle against alcohol dependence. It is with humility and authenticity that the Alouettes player delivered a poignant testimony of hope and perseverance with regards to one of the biggest challenges of his life. Perrett was chosen by the organization as the player who best represents these qualities of leadership and courage, which he has demonstrated by bringing his personal struggle to light.
Very involved in the community, Perrett has also participated in the Together at School with the Alouettes program where players pay visit to more than 60,000 students each year, helping them to make good decisions and to stay in school.
With this difficult struggle behind him, Perrett returned even stronger, earning two nominations for the Eastern Division all-star team in 2014 and 2015. This true pillar on Montreal’s offensive line helped his team to allow only 33 sacks, tied at the top of the league with the Calgary Stampeders in 2015. He is the second Alouettes player to receive this honour, after Shea Emry in 2013.
Jake Gaudaur was a Canadian hero. A Canadian fighter pilot instructor during the Second World War, he won Grey Cups as both a player and an executive before serving as commissioner of the CFL from 1968 to 1984. His story embodies the historic bond between the league and our Veterans, one that is celebrated with the presentation of the Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award.
