Mousquiri
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Mousquiri, the first mascot to be associated to a tournaments |
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It is in the autumn of l974 that Gilles Fontaine and René Thibault then general managers of the tournament settled upon the objective of making the MousquiriTournament a humane event rather than one of simple sporting competi tion because of the young age of the participants. It is thus that the idea of a live mascot or a personified one came to them. |
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A drawing contest was then organized at the Sacred Hearts High School of Richmond to find an animal that would represent well the spirit of the tournamment. Forty-some odd drawings were received and the choice was decided upon a smiling wolf drawn by FrançoisVidal. As for the name it was found by Louise Tremblay, «Mousse- qui- rit» which was modified to end up as «Mousquiri». |
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Leaving just the next step of the fabrication of the characters' head and the costume itself to be carried out by a team of experts from the Quebec Carnaval. Since the 1975 tournament, Mousquiri becomes a regular member of the personnel of the tournament and plays quite an important role. |
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Indeed he sees to that the youngsters are happy during the competitions; to amuse the crowds; to console the loosers; to bring a bit of freshness among the adults making them forget the competitiveness side of the hockey tournament .Genuine symbol of friendship and brotherhood, the merry cub attaches a big importance to his young friends that come and visit him. |
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Apart from meeting with them during the tournament, Mousquiri takes time to write them a letter in order to well prepare them for their stay in Richmond. |
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Also all the participants receive a souvenir gift from the hands of Mousquiri and as it has become a tradition, the mascot of the tournament passes outbirthday cakes to all the young players who will celebrate their birthday during the tournament. The magnificant cakes in the image of Mousquiri are distributed to about forty-some odd youths per tournament and this little mark of courtesy is largely prized not only by the players themselves but also by the parents and by all the teams... |
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Since 1975, with enthusiasm helping out, sweaters, drawings, mini flags, pucks, hockey sticks and plenty of other souvenirs in the image of the mascot have joined the character who has become very popular with the young and not so young. Our endearing mascot treading the ice of the Centre Sportif P.E. Lefebvre nonchalantly for the last 29 years will be celebrating his 30th birthday this year.This initative quite original has been repeated by other tournaments in the past years but Mousquiri remains the leader among the mascots to be identified to a tournament and among the volunteers that have impersonated the mascot through the past tournaments,let us mention |
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The names of Daniel Custeau, Daniel Lacharité, Luc Asselin and Marco Laprade among others. At first it seems to be an easy role to play but alot of energy must be dispensed to personify this mascot suffice to say are his contacts with the youths,moving around on the ice rink in the costume and especially with the head on, watching his movements on the ice, lending himself to the photograph and the autograph sessions, handling of the puck, dancing to the wild rythm of the music, playing of pranks towards the referees and above all else paying special attention to the Zamboni.... |
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