Peter Pakeman

Peter Pakeman is a Canadian soccer player who played in the Canadian Soccer League with the North York Rockets in 1987. He played the majority of his youth soccer in Toronto with clubs such as St. Andrews and Wexford, and in tournaments such as the Scarborough Indianapolis Peace Games, and the Robbie International (1976 Bantam Champions). In his teens, he was selected to play on two Ontario Provincial Teams, then later on played with the Toronto Jets (1977 Play Off Champions; 1979 Ontario Cup Champions), Toronto Falcons (1978 NSL/CNSL Playoff Champions) and Toronto Italia in the Canadian National Soccer League. Following this, he played on several Toronto Soccer Association (formerly the Toronto & District Soccer League) men's teams such as Sora Lazio, Delia (1983 1st Division Champions; 1984 Toronto Regional Soccer All-Star Champions; 1984 League and T&D Playoff Champions, Most Versatile Player), Inter Brampton, Toronto Emerald, Monteleone (1989 Most Consistent Player) and Scarboro Azzuri Blues (1990: Consols Cup Champions; Ontario Cup Finalists; Team MVP). He graduated from Victoria Park Collegiate Institute (formerly Victoria Park Secondary School) (North York, Ontario) and Cornell University (Ithaca, New York), where he also played soccer.
Career
Pakeman's soccer career began in 1974, when at the age of 14 years he won the Ontario Soccer Association (formerly the Ontario Minor Soccer Association) Adidas National Soccer Skills Contest for Scarborough and placed second in the Ontario finals. In the same year, he was selected to the Eastern Canada U14 Select Team (Champions). He was selected to the 1976 Ontario Provincial U16 Soccer Team (National Finalist) but did not compete because of a serious leg injury that he suffered with the team prior to the championship competitions. In 1978, he participated in the U18 Ontario Select Team Program, and briefly trained with Canada’s Youth Soccer Team. Between 1977-79, Peter played with the Toronto Jets (1977 Play Off Champions; 1979 Ontario Cup Champions), a farm team for two Canadian National Soccer League teams: the Toronto Falcons (1978 NSL/CNSL Playoff Champions) and Toronto Italia. Throughout his seasons with the Jets, he was called up as an amateur to play with the parent teams. At the age of 27 years and while playing with the Toronto Emerald, Peter was offered a professional soccer contract with the North York Rockets in the Canadian Soccer League. He declined the offer and agreed to play as a call-up, when needed. He played three games with the Rockets in its 1987 season.
Pakeman attended Victoria Park Collegiate Institute (formerly Victoria Park Secondary School) where he was an honour roll student and athlete. He received Vic Park’s Senior Award in 1979. Peter was voted the soccer team’s most valuable player (MVP) in 1977, and MVP of the Junior St. Clair Soccer Tournament held at the University of Central Florida (1979). Peter is one of three graduates from Victoria Park who attended Cornell University and inducted in the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame. The other two graduates are Joe Mui and Sidney Nolan.
During his soccer career at Cornell (1981-83), Peter received multiple All-New York State and All-Ivy team all selections. He is the first player in Ivy League soccer history to earn First Team All-Ivy awards at three different positions (midfield, back and forward). He was selected to play in the Annual East-West ISAA Senior Soccer Bowl Classic in recognition of being one of the best senior college soccer players in the nation. Peter was twice the recipient of the Clive Beckford Memorial MVP Award in 1980 and 1982. As a freshman, he was a co-recipient of the MVP award along with senior two-time All-American, Kurt Bettger. Pakeman also received the following accolades: Ivy League Player of the Week (1980); Cornell Classic, All-Tournament Team (1981); Big Four Soccer Classic, All-Tournament Team and Outstanding Defensive Player award (1982); and Cornell Red Key Society, Athlete of the Month (1983). He was inducted to Cornell’s: Red Key Society, an athletic honorary society(1981), Sphinx Head Society, a senior leadership honorary society (1983); and Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. Peter is a noted Black Athlete at Cornell.
In 2012, Pakeman established the "VIP Award" for versatility, impact and performance to honor a Cornell men’s soccer player or players, who display excellence in personal discipline and character throughout their Cornell career. The award is named after Pakeman, whose versatility allowed him to become the first player in Ivy League soccer history to earn First Team All-Ivy awards at three different positions.
For over twenty years Pakeman has been a member of the Ottawa Falcons Soccer Club.
Pakeman was born in Kingston, Jamaica. His family immigrated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1969.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu