Paolo Ceccarelli(born October 12, 1969) is a Canadian retiredsoccerplayer who played as agoalkeeper.He was the 1996A-LeagueGoalkeeper of the Year.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 12, 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Toronto,Ontario,Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Toronto Jets | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1987– | Dunfermline Athletic | ||
| 1988–1992 | North York Rockets | 73 | (0) |
| 1993 | Toronto Blizzard | 23 | (0) |
| 1993–1994 | Dundee | 0 | (0) |
| 1994 | Berwick Rangers | 1 | (0) |
| 1994–2000 | Montreal Impact | 80 | (0) |
| 1996–1997 | Toronto Shooting Stars(indoor) | 6 | (0) |
| 1997–1999 | Montreal Impact (indoor) | 56 | (1) |
| 2000–2001 | Toronto Thunderhawks(indoor) | 27 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | Harrisburg Heat(indoor) | 14 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | Brampton Hitmen | 19 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | Kansas City Comets(indoor) | 31 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 1991–1992 | Canada U-23 | 10 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club
editCeccarelli played for theToronto Jetsduring his youth. In September 1987, he signed withDunfermline Athleticafter the coaching staff noticed Ceccarelli when Dunfermline played an exhibition game against the Jets. By 1989, Ceccarelli was back in Canada, playing for theToronto Blizzardin theCanadian Soccer League.In 1991, he moved to theNorth York Rockets.[1]In twenty-six games, he earned a 1.05goals against averagewhich placed him top of the goalkeeper chart and earned him All Star recognition.[2][3]Ceccarelli was back with the Blizzard in 1993, this time playing in theAmerican Professional Soccer League.In the fall of 1993, he became a backup goalkeeper withDundee F.C.before moving toBerwick Rangers F.C.for one game.[4]In the spring of 1994, Ceccarelli moved to theMontreal Impact.In 1996, he was First Team All League and the APSL Goalkeeper of the Year.[5]In addition to playing outdoors with the Impact, Ceccarelli spent the 1996-1997 winter season with theToronto Shooting Starsof theNational Professional Soccer League.He was back with the Impact for the 1997 outdoor season, earning Second Team All League honors. Montreal entered the NPSL the next two winter seasons (1997-1999) and Ceccarelli remained with them for those competitions. In the summer of 1999, the Impact went on hiatus and Ceccarelli spent the summer coaching the Impact's youth clubs. He then lost the entire 2000 outdoor season with a knee injury. He returned to playing that fall with theToronto Thunderhawksof the NPSL. In July 2001, Ceccarelli returned to the Impact for one last outdoor game.[6]In 2001, Ceccarelli signed with theHarrisburg Heatof the secondMajor Indoor Soccer League.[7]
In 2002, Ceccarelli signed with theBrampton Hitmenof theCanadian Professional Soccer League.The signing was announced on April 30, 2002.[8][9][10]He recorded his first clean sheet againstLondon Cityon June 8, 2002.[11]He featured in 19 matches for the Hitmen, but the club failed to reach the postseason by finishing sixth in the standings of the Western Conference. He returned to Brampton the following year and his signing was announced on June 6, 2003.[12]Unfortunately he suffered a leg injury which resulted in him serving as a backup goalkeeper for Roy Blanche, which eventually led to his release midway through the season. In September 2002, the Heat traded Ceccarelli to theKansas City Cometsin exchange for Chris Damico.[13]Ceccarelli retired at the end of the season.
International
editIn 1991 and 1992, Ceccarelli played ten games with theCanada men's national under-23 soccer teamin its unsuccessful Olympic qualification campaign.
Managerial career
editHe was the head coach for Canada Beach Soccer which competed in the 2022 World Winners Cup, anon-FIFAbeach soccer tournament.[14]
References
edit- ^"Paolo Ceccarelli soccer statistics on StatsCrew.com".
- ^"The Year in American Soccer – 1991".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-12-28.Retrieved2013-03-25.
- ^Da Costa, Norm (September 25, 1991). "Protection urged for CSL standouts".Toronto Star.p. F8.
- ^Berwick Rangers Borderers A to ZArchived2014-12-28 at theWayback Machine
- ^"The Year in American Soccer – 1996".Archived fromthe originalon 2013-07-13.Retrieved2013-03-25.
- ^“Checker” is back
- ^The ‘New’ MISL Kicks Off
- ^Johnson, Bryon (April 30, 2002)."Brampton Guardian: Hitmen Ready for Action".Rocket Robin's Home Page.Brampton Guardian.
- ^"CPSL - Canadian Professional Soccer League".2003-04-23. Archived fromthe originalon 2003-04-23.Retrieved2017-10-28.
- ^"Le succès du soccer canadien passe par la base".RDS.ca(in French). 2002-07-15.Retrieved2019-12-13.
- ^Rumleski, Kathy (June 8, 2002)."London Free Press: Hitmen Find Target".Rocket Robin's Home Page.London Free Press.
- ^Inscoe, Robin (June 6, 2003)."Brampton Guardian: Hitmen Gunning for Rivals".Rocket Robin's Home Page.Brampton Guardian.
- ^Heat Adds Veteran Goalkeeper
- ^Vujcic, Djuradj (2022-09-22)."Serbian White Eagles Represented at Beach Soccer World Winners Cup".serbianwhiteeagles.ca.Archived fromthe originalon 27 November 2023.Retrieved2023-12-25.