Trevor Stiles, named the new goalkeeping coach for Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League, still remembers the moment that changed the trajectory of his soccer career.
Stiles was guarding the net for the Victoria Highlanders in a USL Premier Development League game in 2010 against the Portland Timbers U-23 team when an accidental kick to the head by a Portland player, while Stiles was diving at a through ball, left Stiles seriously concussed and diagnosed with a concussion-related disability, Cerebral Palsy 8.
“Everybody in the stadium could hear the bang of the boot off my head,” he recalled.
“I went to the sideline feeling like I was on a boat with rocking back and forth. I was lucky I came off because the doctors later told me that I could have died immediately of second-impact syndrome if I had taken another hit to the head that day. As it was, I almost immediate knew it was a brain injury, and that it would be long term.”
That, however, opened another door that made Stiles eligible as a Para athlete and he went on to represent sa国际传媒 at the Para world championships and Para Pan Am Games. As adept in goal as out of it, Stiles played both goalkeeper and striker, and scored 29 goals in 25 international games for sa国际传媒 between 2011 and 2015.
“It was a different opportunity that I never would have had if not for the injury in Portland, and it became an interesting part of my life,” said Stiles.
Stiles played three seasons with the University of Victoria Vikes, winning the CIS (now U Sports) national championship in 2004, and being named sa国际传媒 West first-team all-star and CIS all-Canadian over the course of his Vikes career.
A native of California who came to Victoria at age 12, Stiles returned to the U.S. with stints on the Los Angeles Galaxy MLS reserve team in 2006, Miami FC of the USL Championship in 2007 and Ventura County Fusion in the PDL in 2009. He also joined Sydney FC of the A-League in 2008 as a practice goalkeeper before returning to the Island in 2010 to play for the Highlanders in the PDL.
“It’s been quite a ride,” said Stiles.
It includes providing instruction to young Island goalkeepers through his Keeper Culture Academy based at Braefoot Park.
“We’ve sent two or three ’keepers each year on partial or full scholarship [to the NCAA] or on to the Whitecaps Academy,” said Stiles.
“I love working with the kids, especially when the graduated kids keep in touch. It’s special.”
But something was missing, hence the move to become goalkeeping coach of PFC.
“I love my academy work but I missed being in first-team football and seeing the ball banged around at that level – it’s a different scenario,” said Stiles.
He will work with the PFC goaltenders Emil Gazdov and Sean Melvin.
“They are both eager and talented and pair well together. It’s a nice balance between them that we have in goal,” said Stiles.
The 42-year-old’s soccer interests are wide-ranging and not limited to goalkeeping instruction and coaching. Stiles is also co-owner of Victoria United of the Pacific Coast Soccer League and has a company, Aviata Sports, that makes and sells goalkeeping gloves world-wide.
“It keeps me busy,” said the father of two young children.
PFC opens training camp Monday at PISE ahead of the CPL opener April 13 at Starlight Stadium against the HFX Wanderers of Halifax.
