On March 31, Marie-Millie Dessureault and Josyane Cossette wrote a page of history by becoming the first female duo to analyze and describe a QMJHL game. The day after the match between the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and Val-d’Or Foreurs, the two enthusiasts received a shower of encouragement from many sports journalists in Quebec.
Posted on April 3, 2021 at 8:00 a.m.
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When they saw the congratulations of Chantal Machabée, Kevin Raphaël, Mathias Brunet, Enrico Ciccone, Michel Lacroix, Luc Gélinas, Nancy Audet and many others, the two women were overthrown. “My feet have not touched the ground for two days,” said Josyane Cossette. Their messages are a nice pat on the back! “
Friday morning, his colleague even received a call from Félix Séguin, a TVA Sports journalist, who made his debut as a descriptor with the Huskies and the Foreurs, 20 years ago. “He called me to congratulate me, and it touched me a lot,” says Marie-Millie Dessureault. Seeing people from the community and the public taking the time to highlight what happened, it makes us realize that it is a little bigger than we thought. “
Indeed, they became aware of what they had just accomplished thanks to Félix-Antoine Bourassa, director of communications and marketing of the Huskies, who made sure to highlight the two women on social networks. A gesture that was not yet an advertising strategy. “We didn’t want to put them forward for a special event, like Women’s Rights Day, to show that women are appreciated,” he says. We do this because the two girls are important in our organization and because they do a good job. “
The president of the QMJHL, Gilles Courteau, has only good words about the work of the duo. “I watched their game, and it seems they know the players, the league and hockey,” he said. They make very good comments, both in terms of description and analysis. “
He also believes their accomplishment is a testament to what has been going on in the league for many years. “There is a very felt openness for women to occupy various important positions. There’s no doubt in my mind that women are increasingly making it known that they have what it takes to do the job. “
Childhood dream
A psychology student at the University of Sudbury, Josyane Cossette has been analyzing the Huskies’ games since March 2020. It has been over a year since she fulfilled her dream as a little girl.
When I was 10 years old and asked what I wanted to do later, I replied that I wanted to describe the Canadiens’ games. Even though I study psychology, I never really left the world of radio.
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Josyane Cossette
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As for her, Marie-Millie Dessureault has been analyzing 10 to 15 games per year (excluding pandemic), for more than three years, in addition to teaching mathematics full time in high school and writing novels. In an interview, she says she never dreamed of having an experience like this with the Huskies. “I’ve always really loved hockey,” she says. I do not miss any CH game. I allow myself to criticize the analysis and do my own, but I never thought I could do that. “
Seeing her ex-lover working as a crowd animator in Rouyn-Noranda, she wanted to take care more during the parties she attended. She therefore proposed to the team management to analyze the matches. “It’s the icing on the sundae! she exclaims. I am there and I have someone describing the match by my side. I love that ! “
Nice welcome
The management of the Huskies seems equally thrilled with the experience.
Marie-Millie analyzes the statistics and makes some very interesting connections. Josyane is our woman of confidence in the description: she has a lot of talent and she always wants to be given lots of comments to improve.
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Félix-Antoine Bourassa, Director of Communications and Marketing for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
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Their passion also resonates with listeners. “People are happy to see women occupy these positions,” says Josyane Cossette. Sometimes there are negative comments that I pay a little too much attention to, but the majority are super positive. »His colleague adds. “It’s normal whether people like our style or not. On the other hand, in 2021, the one who will make a negative comment because we are girls, he will just pass for an old mononcle. “
Feeling a great support from the Huskies, they want this openness to women to continue to grow. “I dare to hope that the other teams in the QMJHL are ready for that, too,” said Mme Dessureault. The same goes for the major networks, such as RDS and TVA Sports, which are quietly making room for women. I find that encouraging! “
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