Ex-Manic star Decaire inducted to McGill Sports Hall of Fame
MONTREAL - Soccer star Brian Decaire of Beaconsfield, Que., is among six new 2010 inductees to the McGill Sports Hall of Fame.
Born Brian Leon Decaire, he quickly moved up the ladder, playing minor soccer for the Lakeshore soccer club, the Beaconsfield Under-18 squad that won a national title, the Quebec Selects senior team. At the university level, he led McGill to a pair of conference titles and their first-ever national title, followed by pro tryouts with the Chicago Sting and Montreal Manic of in the North American Soccer League, where he ended up playing a two-year stint for the Manic in 1982 and 1983.
At McGill, Decaire became a highly-decorated athlete, earning All-Canadian honours in each of his three years (1979, 1980, 1981), where he was voted Team MVP each season. Decaire won the Forbes trophy as the University's male athlete of the year in 1981-82.
A 6-foot-4, 195-pound defender, who graduated with a BA in 1982, he was rarely beaten in the air and possessed such a devastating shot, that he was often used as a forward. He was the team's leading scorer in both 1979 and 1980.
A natural leader, who commanded instant respect by teammates and opponents alike, Decaire captained McGill to the 1981 CIAU championship in Edmonton, Alta. In the gold medal final, he scored in penalty kicks to help the Redmen win a shootout 4-2 over the hometown Alberta Golden Bears for a 1-0 victory. He merited CIAU All-tournament honours in both of his trips to the Nationals.
The induction luncheon, scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010, officially kicks off the University's Homecoming Week celebrations. Tickets for the event are $65 and can be reserved by contacting Kathryn Weaver at kathryn.weaver [at] mcgill.ca or 514-398-7002.
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SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012