Bill Stirling

William L. Stirling... earned degree with first class honours in history from the University of British Columbia in 1938... earned M.A. degree in history and international relations from Clark University in 1939... was a teacher at Burnaby South High School... served in the Canadian Army... wounded in action, he was discharged from the army in 1946 with the rank of captain... earned a degree in Law from the University of British Columbia in 1950... worked as a lawyer (he specialized in Municipal Law and Criminal Law)...

served as the 26th President of the Canadian Soccer Association (1973-82)... honoured as a Canada Soccer Life Member... honoured by the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame (one of the first 11 non-players honoured as part of The Soccer Hall of Fame’s inaugural Class of 2000)... posthumously honoured by the Soccer Hall of Fame of British Columbia... recipient of Canada Soccer’s Aubrey Sanford Meritorious Service Award in 1986...

wrote Eric King in 1980, “no other President in the Association’s history has been subjected to the kind of pressures, problems, and frustrations that have been evident during Bill Stirling’s term of office; similarly, no other President has led the Association through a period of such rapid growth in participation and presided over such ambitious development programs”... also wrote King in 1980, Stirling “is a first-class ambassador for the Association; an excellent speaker, he has contributed significantly to the promotion and publicity of our sport”... said Stirling in 1982, “I think the greatest progress (over the past nine years) has been made at the youth level. Our success at the youth level has ensured that there a great number of players of good quality who are now available for our senior competitions”... wrote Jim Fleming in 1986, under Stirling’s “leadership (from 1973 to 1982), the Association secured the support of corporate sponsors for many of our programs”... also wrote Jim Fleming in 1986, Stirling is “a first-class ambassador for the Association and excellent speaker; he has contributed significantly to the promotion and publicity of our sport”... wrote Colin Jose, “his quiet diplomacy made him one of the most effective presidents the Canadian Soccer Association has ever had”... in 2000, was one of three former Canadian Soccer Association presidents included in the inaugural class honoured by The Soccer Hall of Fame in Canada (Dave Fryatt, Bill Simpson and Bill Stirling)...