- Homepage
- Athletes
- Athlete Profiles
- 2008
- Francis Vallée
Francis Vallée
The Many Passions of Francis Vallée
Things turned out for the best for Francis Vallée. The young Montrealer has been living with a physical disability since birth – spastic diplegia – and had not been able to practise sports during childhood. After a surgery at the age of ten, his physician recommends CIVA (Centre d’intégration à la vie active) to him, especially the wheelchair basketball program. Curious, he tries his luck at it. Six years later, Vallée is about to participate to Défi sportif for the sixth time and has been nominated National Bank Champion in 2008.
I always had a bit of stiffness in my ankles
, he explains. Before the age of ten, I could walk,
but I did not practise any sport. When I started to grow fast, I needed to undergo surgery in order to
relieve pressure and stiffness.
Only then does his mother and him hear of wheelchair basketball.
My mother wanted me to practise a sport. My doctor oriented me towards basketball, a sport I had always
wanted to play. It was love at first try. The wheelchair supprots the weight my legs would normally bear.
Since then, Vallée has played with a number of teams in the Metropolitan region: the mini league, in AA
and junior categories. His goal is to join the AAA league next year. For the Défi sportif, I will give
the best I have and show my motivation, as to increase my chances of being selected in the AAA league.
What I like about basketball is that it involves a variety of strategies
he mentions. This sport
allows me to physically active and I appreciate the team spirit. It is a lot of fun!
A Musician in the Making
Wheelchair basketball, his first and foremost passion? That would be forgetting music. Francis Vallée
insists on how important music is to him: Ideally, I would like to make a living from music.
For now, my goal is to study music at college. I will see later what comes of it.
Some friends introduced him to guitar when he was 10 years old and since, he has been exploring every
aspect of the instrument. I love all styles of music. I can play the blues as well as metal. I would
like to play with a band.
While he is determined to succeed in the musical world, Vallée still makes room for basketball in his
life. However, he is not solely focused on higher recognition. I would like to be selected on the
Canadian team one day, but it is not of the utmost importance to me. Most of all, I want to play music
and have fun!
Access technical record [in French]
