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James part of Team of Distinction entering the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame this weekend
TORONTO - York University master soccer coach Paul James will
enter the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame for the second time this
weekend when the 1986 Canadian national team is honoured as the
2009 Team of Distinction.
The 1986 team was the first and only squad to qualify for the
finals of the World Cup to date. The team clinched its place at the
event in Mexico with a 2-1 victory over Honduras in St. John's in
1985. The Canadian team, made up of players who were not
professional at the time, fought hard at the World Cup but lost to
France, Hungary and the USSR in round-robin play.
"It is an honour to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member
of the 1986 World Cup team," said James. "It is hard to believe
that it was 23 years ago as the memories of the event are as sharp
as ever. We were a unique group of unemployed soccer players who
were desperate for success. Along with the great leadership of Tony
Waiters, it is the main reason we qualified for the event in the
first place - a winning mentality."
Several members of the team and its coaching staff have already
been inducted into the Hall of Fame, including James. He was
previously inducted as a player in 2003 for his stellar on the
pitch. James appeared in 44 games for Canada and scored a critical
goal for the country against Costa Rica in 1985 that helped Canada
qualify for the World Cup finals.
James has led the Lions women's soccer team to unprecedented
success since taking over the coaching reins. He led the squad to
three straight appearances at the CIS national championship
tournament from 2005-07, an event York had not reached before his
appointment. At the 2006 event the women pulled off the upset of
the tournament, beating the No. 1 Trinity Western Spartans en route
to a fourth-place finish. The following year, the Lions made it all
the way to the national final before falling 2-1 to the host Cape
Breton Capers and earning the silver medal. In 2007, he was named
CIS and OUA coach of the year.
As master coach, James also oversaw the growth and development of
the Lions men's team, which won the CIS national championship this
past season. The national title was the program's first in 31 years
and York's first in any sport since 1990.
Source:
Alyson Grant
Sport & Recreation Information Officer
York University
