Pacific FC Fan Voted 2024 Player Award Winners
Community Outreach Award – Josh Heard
Pacific FC prides itself on having a positive impact on the Greater Victoria community through work with youth soccer clubs, local schools and Island Kids Cancer Association to name a few. Championing many of these initiatives is Tridents captain, Josh Heard, who has prided himself on his Victoria roots and actively gives back to the next generation of athletes. While Heard spent a portion of the season recovering from a knee injury, he used his extra time to support Pacific FC’s community outreach events. Most popularly was his involvement with recent cancer survivor and massive PFC fan, Ollie Conway, who was an honourary captain for our September 7th match against the Halifax Wanderers. Additionally, Heard spent time at Happy Valley Elementary sharing his professional journey with students and playing games with the children on the field. Heard has also been a fixture at his local youth club, Lakehill Soccer Association, helping coach drills sharing insights with young athletes.
Young Player of the Year – Emil Gazdov
After winning 2024 CPL Goalkeeper of the Year and finishing second in voting for the U-21 Player of the Year it is no surprise Emil Gazdov took home our fan voted Young Player of the Year award. Across 21 appearances this season Emil Gazdov conceded only 18 goals while tallying 7 clean sheets to go along with 48 saves. It was a breakout campaign for Gazdov who cemented himself as Pacific FC’s preferred option behind the net and played admirably even against the Vancouver Whitecaps. The 21-year-old star is generating interest from MLS and European markets and it will be interesting to see if he takes the next step in his professional journey this off-season.
New Player of the Year – Moses Dyer
Ask any Pacific FC fan when the season turned in the second half and they will point to the acquisition of Moses Dyer. In a rare CPL trade, Pacific FC sent midfielder Ayman Sellouf to rival Vancouver FC in exchange for forward, Moses Dyer on August 16th, 2024. Dyer took over the Tridents nine spot and made an immediate impact for Pacific FC scoring four goals in four appearances during a stretch in September that earned him CPL Player of the Month. The Tridents picked up ten points in those four matches leapfrogging Vancouver FC and claiming the fifth and final spot in the CPL playoffs. His intensity and competitiveness elevated his teammates level of play, most obviously Dario Zanatta who scored four goals and added an assist during the final stretch of the season. Dyer acted as a consistent threat in the final third that the Tridents lacked during the season.
Most Valuable Player – Thomas Meilleur-Giguère
Pacific FC endured up’s and down’s throughout the 2024 CPL season and the heart of the team, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, wore every victory and defeat on his sleeve. After an injury ended Aly Ndom season in May, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère was asked to lead a backline that had an average age of 21.67. In comparison, the 2024 CPL champions, Cavalry FC, had a backline with an average age of 28 during the CPL final. The Tridents finished the season conceding the third fewest goals in the CPL, 32, one behind league-leaders Cavalry FC and Atletico Ottawa, 31. Meilleur-Giguère also proved his scoring outburst in 2023 wasn’t a fluke adding three more goals and an assist in 2023, including a game-tying goal in extra time against the Halifax Wanderers in late-September with the season on the line. During an injury-plagued season, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère stepped up in a major way and Trident fans took notice.
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