The seating chart for Ottawa’s TD Place does not include a Section 42, but Adam Auclair and his family plan to change that.
At least on Thursday, anyway.
Family members and friends of Auclair, who wears No. 42 for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, will make the trip to the nation’s capital from various points in Quebec to watch the Green and White oppose the host Ottawa REDBLACKS to kick off Week 10 of the 2024 season.
The game is also a homecoming of sorts, because Auclair spent his first three CFL seasons with Ottawa before signing with Saskatchewan as a free agent in February.
“I’ll be honest with you,” the 28-year-old linebacker says. “When we were playing against Montreal, people were saying, ‘Ahhh, you’re going back home,’ and stuff like that, but Montreal isn’t really like home for me.
“I have a lot of family that stays in Gatineau, which is right across the bridge from Ottawa. My sisters live there and one of my uncles lives there, too, so it’s way easier for most of my family to go see me in Ottawa than it is in Montreal.”
A notable exception applies to Julien Auclair and Marie-Andree Quirion, who reside in the Beauce region of Quebec. They are planning to drive nearly 500 kilometres to watch their son play on Thursday.
Auclair’s parents will be among a cheering section of 15.
“It’s always nice to have support,” the former Laval Rouge et Or standout says.
“Even when we play here in Regina, I know they are all watching the games, because as soon as the game is done, I get messages such as ‘you played nice’ and ‘it was a nice game to watch.’
“I always have support, especially from my parents. I’ve been playing football for 18 years now and I don’t think they’ve missed a lot of games.
“Well, maybe this year, because I’m playing out west, but when I was playing in Ottawa, they didn’t miss east games.”
Auclair has been hard to miss since joining the Roughriders.
With 10 special teams tackles, he is in a three-way tie for third in the league — behind the Toronto Argonauts’ Jack Cassar (13) and Saskatchewan’s Rolan Milligan Jr. (12).
Auclair also has nine defensive tackles, eight of which have been recorded over the past two games.
Within a span of the past three games, he has registered his first sack and first interception as a Roughrider.
“I always like to play a bit more, for sure,” Auclair says of his elevated role on defence, “but as long as I can help this team win, that’s what I’m trying to do.
“If it’s on special teams, I’ll do it. If it’s on defence, I’ll do it.”
And if it’s in Ottawa, where history and proximity are factors, that is also something to appreciate.
“It’s going to be special, for sure,” Auclair says with a smile. “I’ve been waiting for this game for a long time, so it’s ‘go’ time.”
