The road to FC Montreal, the top echelon of the Montreal Impact Academy youth structure, was bumpy for defender Janouk Charbonneau. AA and AAA level player in Outaouais, his native region, he was cut from his first Academy tryouts. But he came back the following year and finally joined the Montreal Impact Academy in January 2012.
“At 16 years old, I integrated the U18 group that was coached by Wilfried Nancy. I completed a full year and, in February of the following year, I went up with the U21s because there weren’t enough players at my position. My development at the Academy went well after that. It paid off. There were difficult moments, and there always will be, but it’s important to persevere and keep working because, in the end, the goal is to play professionally.”
For Charbonneau, a solid work ethic is what helped him stand out. He may not be particularly flamboyant on the field, but his attitude and determination helped him become one of the regulars for FC Montreal since the creation of the team.
In the 2015 inaugural season, the Aylmer native played 1,893 minutes in 26 games, becoming one of the two most-utilized players on the team. This year, he remains the only member of the team to have started every game. Mostly used at right back, he also played on the left or in the middle, depending on his coach’s needs.
“I work hard every day, and if I deserve playing time, I’ll get it. Then, it’s my job to perform well. Here, everyone wants to play and has the same goal. It’s the reward after your efforts. My goals are to keep getting playing time and to always perform better, and then we’ll see what happens.”
Charbonneau isn’t just interested in defending on the field. After finishing his DEC last year, he chose to pursue university studies and will start his law degree next September.
“I always had the will to make sure that justice is served and that people at a disadvantage in certain situations, whatever the reasons, can have a chance to be defended properly.”
For the FC Montreal player who plays soccer every day, studies are also a way to clear your mind. He’s chosen to carry on studying, in no small part because he is fully aware of the opportunities seized by his seven brothers and sisters, whose work ethic is just as solid as his.
