George Pakos

George Pakos... soccer family (father Zenon)... his father was born in Warsaw, POL while his mother was born in Ludz, POL... he grew up participating in soccer, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, basketball, golf... he was 10 years old when he started playing soccer for Gorge SA... growing up, his favourites included Pelé, Kevin Keegan, George Best... he was a water mechanic for the City of Victoria during his international career (often taking a leave of absence to represent Canada)...

part of the first Canadian team to play at the FIFA World Cup (Mexico 1986), recognised as a Canada Soccer Team of Distinction...

Concacaf champion (1985)... represented Canada at the 1986 FIFA World Cup Mexico... represented Canada in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and Olympic Qualifiers... career 33 international appearances across five years from 1983 to 1987 with Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team, including 23 international "A" appearances...

with Victoria London Boxing Club, a Canada Soccer National Championships winner (Challenge Trophy in 1975)... in 2011, his 1974-75 Victoria London Boxing Club was honoured by the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame (team category)...

wrote Cleve Dheensaw in 1983, “George Pakos is perhaps as unlikely a candidate to be a Canadian Olympic hero as one is likely to find”... wrote Neil Davidson in 1984, “George Pakos is Canada’s most famous water-meter mechanic”... said Pakos in 1987 upon leaving international football at age 34, “I figure it was a pretty good way to go hang them up, beating the U.S. 2-0, going out a winner and on my terms”... as idolized in the 1986 lyrics for Oh Canada, We’ll Proudly Play for You, “striker George Pakos has a rifle for a shot”...