CF Montréal x Fondation Aléo Together on the Field of the Future

CF Montréal and the Aléo Foundation are once again joining forces to support four young soccer players from Quebec. During the September 9 match at Stade Saputo, Maxim Ellyson, Zaky Lachhab, Chloe Scicchitano, and Zachary Tsokos shared  $10,000 in scholarships.

Through this investment in the next generation, CF Montréal  has reaffirmed its commitment to youth development and helps empower these young student-athletes to pursue their ambitions—in their athletic, academic, and personal journeys.

The four recipients were invited onto the field at Saputo Stadium to receive their scholarships from Gabriel Gervais, President and CEO of CF Montréal, and Marie-Eve Desrochers, Director of Philanthropic Development at the Aléo Foundation.

The Aléo Research Chair and CF Montréal are also teaming up

In addition to the scholarship program, CF Montréal is currently collaborating with another Aléo entity: the Aléo Research Chair. This partnership aims to develop and evaluate a mental preparation program tailored to the realities of the Academy’s young athletes. The project includes four workshops on communication, stress management, emotions, and resilience, as well as practical tools that the young athletes can apply to their athletic careers and daily lives. An evaluation conducted before and after the workshops will help document the program’s impact and inform its improvement. This project bridges the gap between research and on-the-ground practice to better support the well-being and development of young athletes.

In their own words:

“Supporting Quebec’s next generation of athletes is at the heart of our mission. In partnership with the Aléo Foundation, we are proud to help young athletes pursue their athletic and academic goals, both today and in the future.”

- Gabriel Gervais, President and CEO of CF Montréal

“CF Montréal and the Aléo Foundation share this same commitment to empowering young people to reach their full potential. Beyond what happens on the field, the Club plays a unifying and inspiring role in our community and throughout Quebec’s sports ecosystem. Thanks to its commitment, we can not only offer concrete financial support to young talents but also guide them through every aspect of their journey through the Aléo Foundation’s lifetime services. This collaboration truly makes sense: together, we’re investing in their potential and in what they can become.”

- Patricia Demers, Executive Director of the Aléo Foundation

2026 Recipients of CF Montréal Scholarships

Chloe Scicchitano 

1st CF Montréal and Aléo Foundation Scholarship

16 years old – Lester B. Pearson High School, Montreal North

$2,000

- Member of the Canadian team that qualified the country for the Under-17 World Cup, thanks to an undefeated run in the CONCACAF qualifiers. 

- An 11th-grade student at Lester B. Pearson High School.

Maxim Ellyson 

1st CF Montréal and Aléo Foundation Scholarship 

17 years old – Terrebonne 

$2,000

-In addition to his successes on the soccer field, Maxim received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. 

- She is studying natural sciences at Collège Montmorency.

Zaky Lachhab 

1st CF Montréal and Aléo Foundation Scholarship 

17 years old – Brossard 

$2,000

-A winger with the CF Academy, Zaky has also represented Canada twice. 

-He is a 12th-grade student at Ontario Virtual School.

Zachary Tsokos 

1st CF Montréal and Aléo Foundation Scholarship 

17 years old – Laval 

$2,000

-A left-footed player who stands out with the CF Montréal Academy for his ball control, passing, and vision. 

-He is a Grade 12 student at Northern Pre-University (NPU).

About CF Montréal 

Founded in 1992 and having completed its first season in 1993, CF Montréal is a professional soccer club that has been competing in MLS since 2012. It has won the Canadian Championship five times (2008, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2021) the Canadian Championship and notably reached the CONCACAF Champions League final in 2015, as well as the quarterfinals in 2009 and 2022. CF Montréal plays its home games at Stade Saputo, a 19,619-seat soccer-specific stadium.

In 2010, the organization established the CF Montréal Academy, a soccer player development center that includes more than 100 male and female players. CF Montréal was the first professional club in North America to offer a sports-and-academics program. The club’s development structure also includes the U13 and U14 Pre-Academy teams. The network of partner clubs (CIP) and regional programs also allow the club to reach nearly 1,000 additional players in the U8 through U12 age groups. The women’s program was introduced at the club’s Academy on May 31, 2023.

Through the Impact Foundation of Montreal, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023, CF Montréal is deeply committed to the community. Its mission is to organize and support activities aimed at improving the quality of life for children and families from vulnerable backgrounds. In particular, it provides sports facilities to promote physical activity and social integration.

About the Aléo Foundation 

The Aléo Foundation’s mission is to help as many high-achieving student-athletes from all backgrounds as possible reach their full potential, in order to make a significant and lasting impact. Founded in 1985, the Foundation has awarded over $25 million in scholarships to more than 5,000 student-athletes across Quebec. In addition to these scholarships, the Foundation provides a vital array of lifelong support services to all recipients during and after their athletic and academic careers. To support these support services, the Aléo Research Chair now serves as a source of scientific findings available to the entire local sports community.

The “Generations of Impact” fundraising campaign aims to raise six million dollars over three years to bring us closer to our overarching vision: that student-athletes of excellence enrich society through their current and future leadership—both through their exceptional contributions and the inspiring examples they set.