John Catliff
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John Catliff (born January 8, 1965, in Vancouver, Canada) is a former professional soccer player who is tied for having scored the most goals for the Canadian national team with 18 in 44 appearances between 1984 and 1994.
The 6'1' ', 200 lb (91 kg) Catliff was a Canadian Soccer League star, scoring the second most goals of anyone in the league's six year history with 69. 'Big John', as he is known within Canadian soccer, was league season scoring champion in 1988 with 22 goals and in 1990 with 19. He began his CSL career in 1987 playing for the league's inaugural champions, the Calgary Kickers. Catliff then spent the next six seasons with the Vancouver 86ers, the CSL champions four consecutive seasons, 1988 through 1991. Ligament injuries to both knees forced him to retire from professional play in 1994 after two years on the 86ers in the American Professional Soccer League.
Catliff was also selected soccer all first-team Ivy League forward in 1983, 1984, and 1986 playing at Harvard University. He was named first-team All-American in 1986. Catliff was a member of the quarterfinalist Canadian soccer team at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 1984. Recovering from injury, he was not named to Canada's roster for the 1986 World Cup finals, Canada's only appearance.
Catliff recently worked as global vice president of sales with Helly Hansen outdoor apparel company but now works with Aritzia. He lives with his wife Sarah and his three soccer loving sons, Brendan, Andrew, and Jamie.
