It's hard for a young player from Canada, let alone Quebec, to make his way to the ISFL. Not only are canadian football rules different, the academic system in Quebec is completely different from everywhere else in North America. For a guy like Marc Hamel, that meant three different schools. After finishing high-school at the age of 16, most CEGEPs post-secondary schools were open to take him in, although none were actively pushing to recruit him. He was a big guy with motivation, but nothing out of the ordinary. Hamel chose the Trois-Rivières Diablos, because it was a first division team but also because he had family in the area to take him in.
There, he started to really stand out amongst the other Offensive Liners in Quebec. After getting his two-year pre-university degree, all universities were after him. It came down to the two biggest and most successful teams in Quebec : the Carabins de l'Université de Montréal and the Rouge et Or de l'Université Laval. Both promised him the best training and coaching money can buy and a lot of playing time. Story has it that Hamel finally had to flip a coin to make a decision, but neither him nor the team he finally chose (UL - Rouge et Or) has ever confirmed whether it was true or not.
There, he started to really stand out amongst the other Offensive Liners in Quebec. After getting his two-year pre-university degree, all universities were after him. It came down to the two biggest and most successful teams in Quebec : the Carabins de l'Université de Montréal and the Rouge et Or de l'Université Laval. Both promised him the best training and coaching money can buy and a lot of playing time. Story has it that Hamel finally had to flip a coin to make a decision, but neither him nor the team he finally chose (UL - Rouge et Or) has ever confirmed whether it was true or not.
