John Kelsey

On September 5, Redmen football wide-receiver Charles-Antoine Sinotte became the first player in the CIS football history to register 200 career catches.  During his five-year career, he has racked up 2,803 receiving yards, the 10th-most in CIS history.  He also holds the record for most receptions in a single season (72) which he broke in 2007.  The Tribune sat down with Sinotte to discuss his impressive career.

What does breaking the records mean for you?

Well it’s nice to be able to leave your name in the books, but at the same time that’s not what you play for. The fact that we haven’t been doing well this season so far makes me wonder what it really means to break records when you don’t actually win.   t’s definitely nice but you don’t play for stats, you play to win the games.

What do you enjoy the most about being on the team and playing football?

I like going through the highs and lows and knowing that you share those moments with 50 other guys.  

Also, I feel that football is a really complete sport. It [has] the physical aspect of sport but also the mental part. There is a lot of strategy involved, and there is so much you can learn.

What have you gained from playing at McGill?

It gave me a great education, which was one of my main objectives going into university. It also taught me a lot about self-control, discipline, and developing a good work ethic. Combining school and sport definitely made me more independent and gave me better structure.  

How have your teammates helped you become the player that you are today?

When I first came here, everything was new for me coming from a French city.  I didn’t know anyone, but football eased the transition from French to English because it gave me opportunities to meet people.  I’ve learnt from a lot of the guys who played my position before me and played with for my first couple years on the team. Learning from them and watching them has made me a more complete football player.

What has been the most memorable experience thus far in your McGill career?

For sure, last year when we won our first game.  After going winless for the previous two seasons, it was just unbelievable. I kind of forgot how it feels to win a game, so that was probably one of the highest points of my McGill career.

What has been the biggest challenge of your career?

When I played back at home in CEGEP, we won the provincial championships all three years so I was kind of used to winning no matter what. Winning was the only option. So when I came here it was completely different. We had to rebuild the program, there were a lot of weaknesses, and it taught me to build from losses. In the past, everything was already set for us and I just had to play, but here was a lot more work, especially in the off-season.  

Last year, you were invited to the CFL evaluation camp. What was it like to be amongst the other top athletes in the CIS?

It was a great experience because you get to compete against the best players in Canada. It required a lot of preparation and I put a lot of focus on it.  It didn’t work out the way I wanted, but I still gained a lot from it and it taught me a lot on how to bounce back from a disappointment.

Is playing in the CFL still something you’d like to pursue?

It would be an interesting career for sure. Getting paid to do what you love is a pretty great concept.  

It’s been a tough start this season, but what are your goals for the team, being one of its captains?

Our first goal is definitely to make the playoffs.  he beginning of the season has been hard, but we still have a shot at making the playoffs if we finish strong. We just want to finish on a good note and enjoy what we do because we dedicate so much time to it.

What is the team dynamic like?

One of our strengths I would say is that we have really good synergy. Our team is very close and it’s a great group of people on and off the field.

Before each game, are there any pre-game rituals that you perform?

I’m a pretty bad person on game days. I don’t like talking to anyone so I just put on music and try to focus on my stuff. Guys have asked me if I don’t like them before games but it’s really just that I like to do my final mental preparation.