Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies

It takes time to get recognized by a local organization, let alone your country for what you have achieved throughout your career.

This year is no different as the Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies take place at Chateau Le Jardin Conference and Event Centre in Vaughan, Ontario November 8.

Sticking with tradition the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame welcomes three Players, two Builders, a Pioneer, an Organization of Distinction and a Team of Distinction.

Inductees

The Canadian Women’s Gold Cup winning team of 1998 enters the Hall of Fame as this year’s Team of Distinction.

Canada won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1998 by beating Mexico 1-0 at Centennial Stadium in Etobicoke.

Canada had beaten Puerto Rico, Martinique, Guatemala and Costa Rica to get to the final that year. It is considered one of the greatest achievements by the women’s program.

Players Category:

Three enter the Hall this year and all are well deserved to enter given what they have done for the game and Canada.

Entering are Jim Brennan, Kara Lang and Pat Onstad.

Brennan played 49 times for Canada, was a part of the CONCACAF Gold Cup winning team in 2000.

He played for top clubs in England prior to joining the newly formed Toronto FC as the team captain.

Lang played 92 times for Canada and scored nine goals, holds the distinction of being the youngest player to play in a senior women’s international for her country, as well as the youngest player to score a goal in a senior women’s international.

Onstad played 58 times for Canada, was a member of the Canadian World Cup squad in 1986.

He won the Canadian Soccer League championship in 1992, became the A-League Goalkeeper of the Year in 1998, before having a lengthy, successful career in Major League Soccer.

Builder Category – 2015 Induction Class

Two enter in this class and we see John Kerr and Jim Hubay enter with a long history of involvement in youth soccer in Canada.

He helped to create the Quebec Minor Soccer Association, as well as the Canadian Minor Soccer Association, for which he would eventually hold the titles of president, vice-president, and treasurer.

The late Kerr was instrumental in organizing and leading the North American Soccer League Player Union in the years of the league’s operation. As a player, he played 10 times for Canada.

Pioneer – 2015 Induction Class

George Anderson enters as Pioneer that saw him tour Australia with the Canadian team in 1924 and played in all six (6) internationals.

He was a member of the Upper Island and Pacific Coast League when they played the touring English FA team in 1926 that saw him win the Challenge Trophy in 1928, 1930 and 1936.

Organization of Distinction

Last but not least Montreal Carsteel has been selected as an as part of the 2015 Induction Class.

They were one of the great Canadian teams prior to and after World War Two.

They won the Quebec Cup (the first time) in 1925, and went on to win it eight more times over the next 15 years.

In the same time period they also won the Eastern Division of the National Soccer League four times and the National Soccer League championship twice.

Sportswave congratulates the new inductees into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.