LB Royer ready to take Québec’s football world by storm

Before the allure of the gridiron captured his imagination, Gabriel Royer was a humble basketball player. But that all changed with a simple invitation.

“Before I was just a basketball player, but Lukas Boulanger convinced me to continue playing football with (Les Harfangs de L’École du) Triolet. I owe him a lot,” Royer said. (Boulanger is currently the quarterback at Champlain College and for Team Canada).

It wasn’t only Boulanger who helped drive home the idea that Boyer could be a football player. “All my friends wanted to see me with a football jersey (on) because I had a perfect shape for this sport and it was true,” Royer said. “Football is everything for me now. Everyday I’m excited about my next game. I just feel good on the field.”

It is no doubt that basketball has a different dynamic than football. So, what is it that makes him love the sport so much? “I like my position because I’m a predator,” he said, adding that his speed and power gives him and edge.

After finishing his high school career with Les Harfangs (RSEQ), Royer joined Les Volontaires du Cégep de Sherbrooke (RSEQ Division 2). “A lot of people didn’t understand why I committed in the second division of the RSEQ. After six games, I couldn’t be happier about my decision,” Royer said.

While Royer is unsure as to where he wants his career to take him, he knows one thing. He will be spending the next three years as a Volontaire. He said he will learn a lot from the school and after that, he is open to anything.

And where would Royer be without a mentor to help teach him? He said his defensive coordinator, Vincent Renart, inspires him and helps him to improve everyday.

“Football wasn’t my first sport and I don’t have a lot of experience,” Royer said, who has been playing for three years. “But right now, with Team Québec and my good season in division 2, my goal is accomplished.”

In six games this season, he has had 39 tackles (31 solo and 16 assisted), ten tackles for loss and three sacks.

He added that, “We (Les Volontaires) want to be the underdogs during the playoffs! We have one of the best division 2 defenses and we can go far, same if we had some difficulty during the season. We can play everybody and they don’t want to play us after October!’

Royer, who lined up as a linebacker with Team Québec in the 2017 Football Canada Cup, had one word to describe his gold medal experience: incredible. Would a Bol d’Or championship top Royer’s current favourite football memory? Who is to say.

Royer is the first athlete at his college to do both football and basketball. This off-season, he said he plans on getting bigger and faster. Currently at 203lbs, he said he wants to be 210lbs by the new year.

And what is driving his desire to improve? He said, “I want to start and make my (name) known throughout Québec.”

Gabriel Royer (#5)
Linebacker
5’11, 203lbs

Teams: Harfangs du Triolet, Team Québec, Les Volontaires du Cégep de Sherbrooke
Official visits: none
Unofficial visits: none
Considerations: open
Class: 2020