Congratulations to soccer great John Breen of Holy Cross on his election to the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame. He joins his brother Bill in the Hall.

John is one of five new members who will be inducted in early April.

The others are Bill Barron of St. John’s who has devoted 54 years to senior men’s softball, Pat Kelly of Fox Harbour, Placentia Bay who enjoyed great success as a softball pitcher, Patricia Dwyer of Bell Island who was an outstanding female curler and Art Hamlyn of St. John’s who starred in goal for St. Bon’s, Bell Island and Royals hockey teams in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

John Breen’s Sports Hall of Fame nomination is

A tremendous soccer career, backed up by an impressive hockey career, earned John Breen great respect and a wide variety of success with the athletic community. This great athletic showing is being followed by valuabe contributions as a youth soccer coach.
An exceptional detailed knowledge of soccer, an uncanny ability to read game situations and conditions immediately, supported by outstanding personal skill and talent, highlighted the tremendous soccer career of John Breen that enjoyed extremely impressive success for more than 30 years.
John Breen was able to control games with the same high level of expertise that he could control a soccer ball. A play starter with great peripheal eyesight, his crisp, well-placed passes continuously allowed his team to apply offensive pressure on opponents and was often the main factor in generating great scoring opportunities. He was the “setup” player on numerous successful occasions.
It was his great mid-field presence that controlled the exceptional defense that was the trademark of teams for which he played. On the attack or on defense, John Breen provided an extremely efficient soccer presence and it was this presence that greatly benefited a long line of outstanding soccer teams.
His personal willingness to always play “all out” no matter what the sacrifice and the manner in which he provided leadership were valuable assets in an unbelieveable career. Simply said, many players and many teams were much better soccerists because John Breen was a member or a teammate.
His center mid-field skills were extremely beneficial to his team’s offensive and defensive effectiveness. Combining with his brother Bill, he provided the dominating Holy Cross clubs with valuable and vital strength up the middle. This was a major factor in the unmatched Holy Cross record of 15 consecutive St. John’s first division championships.
John Breen has the great record of having earned two national soccer championships. He was a member of the under-18 team that won the national in 1974 and was back as vital contributor to Holy Cross first division club that won the 1988 national Challenge Cup title.
He was a vital factor in the Holy Cross claiming a national silver medal and a national bronze medal at national Challenge Cup.
Playing St. John’s minor soccer from 1970 to 1974, he was a member of the St. Pat’s Junior High squad in 1972 and led Brother Rice High to two St. John’s and two provincial titles between 1972 and 1975. He was voted most valuable player in 1974 and 1975.
He was selected as the provincial player of the decade for the 1980’s, a recognition that was well earned and demonstrated the respect that he received from soccer people. He was a member of the 1977 Canada Summer Games bronze medal team.
During his 15 consecutive St. John’s First Division championships and 11 provincial championships between 1974 and 1992, John Breen was selected as the league’s most valuable player four times and earned a berth on St. John’s and provincial all-star teams every year of his career. During five appearances at Atlantic Challenge Cup championships, he earned two MVP selections.
His master soccer stint with Holy Cross has yielded five St. John’s titles and three provincial championships.
His father Alf, brother Bill and deceased brother Robert have been inducted into the provincial soccer hall of fame.
John Breen’s hockey career lasted from 1967 to 1981 and included two provincial senior Herder Trophy championships and one junior Vietch Trophy title. There was also St. John’s minor, grammer school, high school and junior honors. He was voted provincial senior hockey’ s 1978-79 “rookie of the year” and opened hios hockey playing with a scoring title in Kilbride Minor Hockey.
A play-making defenceman with exceptional passing ability, John Breen ranked highly with the best of his era, providing both all-star defensive and offensive benefits to any team with which he played. A good puck handler who excelled as an on-ice leader, his leadership qualities were also demonstrated often off the ice.
Effective in corner and along the boards, he could handle physical games as well as stand out in his play-making role.