This page will reflect on my Canadian and International football background which presents a variety of arenas, as a player, coach, coach instructor, administrator, referee, referee instructor & assessor, magazine editor, author and a technical director.
As with millions around the globe, football has always been a passion, more of a religion, a way of life, a deep rooted drive that dominated the fiber of my characteristics, my daily routine, my thoughts and my emotions ever since the days of street soccer at age 3.
Paul Gouda
If you're a soccer nut like me, well, you're in for a treat. I'll decorate this section of the site with several educational and chat-type entries.
And, of course, this section of the site will present my background in a variety of football disciplines, namely my role as a player, coach, Referee, Instructor, magazine Editor and Administrator & manager.:
Click to choose a page and to view a presentation of each of the following arenas:
May I also comment that I actually wasn't trying to be facetious when I made many of the comments that were entered in the above-posted file!?
My energy and interest have always been dedicated to football, so faithfully that I never actually noticed any other sport. Please read the article posted above; I think you'll like it.
If you are still in a mood for interesting readings, well, here is an old article I submitted to OSA long, long time ago, proposing changes to the laws of the game. Click on the link below to view it. I still feel strongly about its content:
I recall going with my dad as a preschool child to watch the local small town team playing in the National 3rd division league at the town's small 15,000 stadium which was always filled to capacity, and, there was no seating!
Later, I would go with my dad to watch our favourite team at the premier division with 150,000 screaming fans..
As I traveled around the globe and obtained 4 different citizenships/passports, football has always been a major factor in my life. Well, I named my only son (Pele')!
Well, may I tempt you with interesting reading material? it's a light-hearted article I wrote a while ago that was given the title "soccer fanatic"! Please view the file posted below. Click on the globe icon link below to open it in html format. When finished, use your browser's "back" arrow to return:
A quick scan will show in particular a giant peak in the area of referee development as a referee, instructor, assessor and director.
My success as an instructor, receiving repeated invitations from several provinces and countries where, on paper, there are other native highly qualified individuals, attests to a record I am very proud of as a fanatic footballer.
My present involvement "year 2000/2001" includes, among a few other appointments, chairing a BC district referee committee representing 5 clubs and introducing a complete referee development programme. The programme provides a complete structure from basic to advance, and from technical to administrative.
Please visit this site for a detailed tour of material and entries:
Please note that you'll need Acrobat reader for this file. The following site will show you how to download it free. When viewing a file, I recommend increasing magnification to 125% instead of the default 100%, using a button on the left bottom of the Acrobat reader window:
A word of warning here if I may. The following football pages present a spirit of soccer pride and passion. As I said, while I do not keep a scrapbook for my achievements as a chemist or a teacher / professor, I do keep memorabilia scrapbooks on my football achievements and record. Yes, there is a bit of boasting and bragging in here. I make no apology about it but
I do however offer an explanation. It is one that I hope you'll be able to see past the appearance of childish egotism or narcissism.
I invite you to examine these pages and to share with me a record I am proud of. It is a testimonial I display to my football community, my son, my friends and I. It represents years of behind the scene efforts, years of struggle and hard work; and it presents you with a great deal of great material. Please take a tour and feel free to let me hear your opinion!.
