Marc Sauve

My flag football story kicked off back in 1984 at the GVSS high school field. I was just 18, and Wayne Dexter was the guy who pulled me onto the field because they were short on players for practice. The team? They were sponsored by Huron Hockey School. I even got to sneak in a couple of games that year, with the league's okay since Huron was missing some guys and needed to field a team. Imagine this: my first taste of the game was against a team loaded with Cornwall Royals hockey players!

Talk about a learning curve! I was incredibly lucky to have Hall of Famers like Rod Mcleod, Gary Dexter, and Frank Spagnola as my early mentors. Not a bad crew to learn the ropes from, right? My time with Huron lasted for about six or seven fantastic years. Then, Gary Dexter, always thinking about the good of the league, came up with this equalization draft to help out the teams that were struggling. His idea was brilliant: create a couple of new teams and give them a shot at recruiting existing players through an open draft at Winners sports bar. He put the call out to everyone, even folks who had never played before. And guess what? It worked like a charm, and the league really took off. That night at Winners, O’neil Printing drafted me, and that was the start of an incredible journey that lasted almost 25 years! The friendships we forged, the constant joking around, and the thrill of winning a few championships added up to one heck of a ride. Brian O’neil, the team organizer, deserves a ton of credit for keeping the boys together and finding the right guys to fill in when players moved on. Anyone who’s ever run an adult sports team knows that keeping that core chemistry while adding new pieces isn't easy. But our friendships and our shared love for football were the secret to our success. Team meetings and practices were the norm for us, something not every team was doing back then. I think it’s more common now in the CMFFL.

Now, you can't talk about my flag football experience without mentioning the two incredible arms I had the privilege of playing with on the same team. Arguably the two best to ever play the game, and they're still out there winning championships! I'm talking about Brian O’neil and Steve McGillis. They're still going strong! My own playing career spanned from 1984 all the way to 2017. It was an honor to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018, recognized as the first rusher to receive that distinction. What I'm most proud of during that long run is the longevity of my flag career and staying relevant to our teams success. I played both sides of the ball and was the defensive play caller and captain, something you don't often see a rusher doing, especially during our championship reign which included an unprecedented four consecutive titles! I managed to keep myself interested and in shape enough to win seven MVP awards spread over almost 20 years, from my first to my last. These awards recognized my contributions on both offense and defense, in both the regular season and the playoffs. I really appreciated how the league recognized the defensive rushing position while I was playing it. I hung up my cleats in my 50s, and I thought that was old! I still love heading to the field to watch Brian and Steve play in those championship games. It's a blast to watch! To really make the most of having those two amazing quarterbacks and a bunch of future hall of famers like Yvon Besner, Dave Branchaud, and Blue Grant, our team made the halfback option a big part of our game. It spread the field and really took advantage of the deep ball. Both Brian and Steve have even told me they still use plays we designed way back then on their new teams – they even named one the "Marc Sauve play" (not my doing!). It’s pretty cool to see today’s teams using ideas that weren't always so common but that we relied on regularly. My last few years playing were with the Dexters, kind of a family team in a way. These were the same guys who brought me into the league over 30 years earlier. It was a real full circle moment and a fun way to wrap up a great run in flag football.

When I think about my favorite moments, they all kind of blend together with a common theme: having a blast while trying to win! People have described me as having this split personality – fiercely competitive but also a lighthearted, wannabe comedian. During team huddles and those big moments or pregame warmups, I was often the guy giving the pep talk or motivational speech. My philosophy? A well placed joke can really help calm things down and get the guys focused. So, my favorite moments? Winning championships and laughing with the guys. I don't mean to sound boastful, but our team did a lot of both! I tried to walk that line between them, and I hope the amazing athletes I played with at least appreciated the winning. As for the joking and comedy… well, sorry, I was just trying to add a little levity!

One of the questions that always came up, “Why do you play?” That’s a big question for me. I truly believe life is about balance. Work hard, play hard, love hard, you know, all those sports and life clichés. I’ve been told I approach most things with a passionate, focused attitude. I’ve played competitive Senior A broomball, golf, and rugby for years, but football has been my longest sports love affair. I love the chess match that football provides, the mental and physical challenge. My advice, for what it’s worth? Football is the ultimate team sport, and having a game plan is important, but being able to react and adjust midgame to what the other team is doing is what will determine your success. And when things aren’t going your way, be open to changing your mind and admitting your plan isn’t working! I’ve done that more than once, not just on the football field, and it’s led to some success.

Lately, I’ve been picking up on some real excitement around flag football. The Dome winter league in Alexandria, with Kirby Camplin incorporating it into the Wildcats program, schools adding it to their sports curriculum and varsity teams, and the NFL getting more involved with their grassroots program… it’s fantastic to see! So, in my attempt to sound younger than I am… Let’s gooooo!