Students were abuzz inside the gymnasium at Ecole Secondaire MacDonald-Cartier on Wednesday as one of their former graduates returned. Sudbury soccer star Cloé Lacasse has come for the Holidays and addressed students at the school that helped share her. “You couldn’t ask for a better model, right? Great athlete, great person and has just accomplished so much,” said gym teacher and physical education department head Ron Poulin. It wasn’t too long ago that Lacasse walked the halls as a student. Since then, she’s played on the world stage and worn the maple leaf. “I have followed her, of course, you follow someone that comes from your town,” said Gabrielle Demers, a Grade 11 student and soccer player. “I watched little clips here and there where I could and it’s truly amazing how far she’s come.” Lacasse has had a banner year, even playing her first major international tournament. It’s a full-circle moment for the all-star who played for and against some of the best some of the best soccer players in the world. At such a young age, with such a remarkable resume, she’s come home to tell other Panthers to reach for their dreams. “I think it’s important to have those shared experiences and to be able to inspire and motivate future generations,” Lacasse said. “It doesn’t have to be as a soccer player but also the journey I’ve had, how I got there, I think it can resonate with a lot of the kids.” In a question-and-answer session with Randy Pascal, she said she has aspirations one day of playing for Canada at the Olympics. Before leaving, she also presented the school with signed jerseys. She’s seen the growth of soccer first hand in Sudbury. “I was with the Greater Sudbury Club and just seeing the infrastructure, the new coaches and just the environment those kids have in comparison to what we had back in the day. It shows this small community is developing and they are passionate about soccer,” Lacasse said. She said she’s proud of her roots but on a day like today, no one seems to be more proud than this student body and the school that helped send her on her way.
