BY SCOTT
HADDOW
Isabelle Perreault loves a good fight. The 31-year-old boxer
was the provincial 66-kilogram champion in 2005, and won a
silver medal at the national level.
Knowing boxing was never going to give her financial freedom,
Perreault began looking for a career in the sports field last
year.
Her search was wide, and at times frustrating, as jobs in
this field are tough to come by.
Much like the same way she attacked her opponents in the
ring, Perreault stayed focused, knowing good things come to
those who are patient and persistent.
Her dedication paid off in May when she landed a coveted job
with the Ottawa Senators, one of the most successful franchises
in the NHL.
The pugilist is now the director of website and e-marketing
for the big league club.  She's responsible for the
management of all the websites of the team, plus other
organizations within the ownership of the Senators, as well as
databases, wireless and e-Marketing strategies.
"Absolutely this is something I wanted to do," said
Perreault. "I've been looking for opportunities to get into the
field of sports management. You don't see many e-marketing
positions everywhere as it's fairly new to most organizations.
When I saw it (advertised in the Ottawa Citizen classifieds
section), I jumped on it right away."
Perreault has Senator blood in her veins; she was a huge fan of
the team even before ever applying for the job.
"It's definitely a good fit for me," said the boxer. "I'm
excited about helping the organization achieve its goals,
support fans and create new on-line strategies...I am a big fan
myself."
Her background in boxing helped Perreault start to climb the corporate ladder. She might even have a tip or two for a few Senators.
"My boxing training has contributed to all aspects of my life,"
said Perreault. "It might not apply directly to my job, but
indirectly, I've had to balance work and training, which builds
discipline and requires a lot of dedication. Who knows?
Maybe I'll teach the Ottawa players how to keep their hands
up when the gloves come off."
The job comes with a few perks.
"I get tickets to the games and tickets to concerts at
Scotia Bank Place...I have to understand the product I will be
marketing."
Perreault will continue competing in boxing for one more
year, but will always push for more involvement in the women's
side of the sport.
"I'm still training as much as before...I've spoken with my coach and I'm prepared to give him and the sport another good, hard year of effort," said Perreault. "I encourage young women in Sudbury to visit boxing clubs in Sudbury. We need many more young girls to start boxing and push the sport forward in order to be officially recognized as an Olympic event in the years to come."
