August 14, 2020

Once an Alouette, Always An Alouette – Geneviève

Ever wondered what happened to some of your favorite Alouettes cheerleaders? Follow our new “Once an Alouette, Always an Alouette” series where we catch up with our former cheerleaders to see what they’re up to now!

Geneviève Leclerc (Cheerleader, Year 2000)

What have you been up to since your time with the Alouettes and where are you now?

In March 2020, I had no idea that the audition I had just done to become a cheerleader for the Alouettes would change my life forever. I was 19, I lived in Gatineau and the Alouettes came into my life for the first time. Little did I know how attached I’d become to this team. For a few months, I would drive from Gatineau to Montreal and back at least three times a week to go to practices, events, and games. Being part of the Alouettes family pushed me to make the big move to Montreal.

Today, 20 years later, I own my wedding cake business. I’ve been the pastry chef and owner of La Petite Charlotte and La Petite Charlotte Mariage since 2012. Over the past 8 years, I’ve participated in multiple cake sculpting competitions, taught cake decorating classes at La Guilde Culinaire, been in a few TV shows as a cake designer, operated my pastry shop on Ste-Catherine Street in Montreal and participated in many Christmas markets.

 

In 2018, I gave birth to my biggest love, a long-awaited miracle for my partner and I. Motherhood was different for. I didn’t take time off; I went right back to my shop. I would breastfeed my baby when dad would stop by the store. I’d close the shop for a few minutes, sit on a milk crate, lean on a refrigerator, and spend some quality time with my mini.

What’s your best memory as a cheerleader for the Alouettes? 

At the beginning of every game, when we stepped on the field, I would get overwhelmed with emotion. I loved seeing all the fans in the stands, screaming from the top of their lungs, cheering on their favorite players and us, the cheerleaders, as we ran onto the field. I’d feel this rush of adrenaline. There was so much excitement in the air, the atmosphere was electric. And we were in the middle of it all, dead center on the field. Those were indescribable moments. Every time, I’d feel this sense of pride and I felt so lucky to be part of such an incredible team.

What’s your funniest anecdote?

My funniest anecdote…Ha! Ha! Ha! It happened at my very first game. In the first quarter, I was facing the field, but I don’t know where I was looking. The ball went out of bounds and came right at me, hitting me hard enough to cause a little bit (or a lot) of embarrassment…Oops!

What’s a lesson you learned during your time with the Alouettes?

Without knowing what I was getting myself into at the time, the Alouettes became a part of me, and still hold a special place in my heart to this day. This team, which quickly became an extended family for me, taught me that you have to be willing to confront the unknown. It’s so important to persevere and open your heart to follow your dreams.