Fred Stambrook was born in Vienna, Austria and moved to Manitoba to become a new member of the History Department at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Stambrook soon became involved with the local soccer scene.

In 1970, Crescentwood Community Club benefited from his volunteerism as Convenor of the club’s soccer program and Coach of the U14 Boys. He also served on the Executive of the Manitoba Minor Soccer Assoc. (MMSA). His career as a builder took off in the mid 70’s. Elected 1st VP of the MMSA in 1974; that same year saw him serve on the Executive of the Canadian Minor Soccer Assoc. Stambrook was President of the Cdn. Youth Soccer Assoc. from 1975-79 and he served on the Board of the Cdn. Soccer Assoc. (CSA) for 12 years until 1986. That year Stambrook was elected President of the CSA (3 consecutive terms). Prior to this he served as President of the Manitoba Soccer Assoc. (MSA) from 1980-86. He also held Past-President duties for the CSA from 1992-98 and sat on the Board of the Canadian Olympic Assoc. (1986-92&1998).

He urged the unification of soccer’s authorities and took a leading role in the writing of the MSA’s constitution. A leading proponent of rural soccer development, Stambrook also played a key role in the relocation of soccer from Alexander Park to the Wilkes-Waverly Complex. On the international scene, he led a successful Canadian effort to qualify for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico City. In 1988, as Cdn. rep. for FIFA (the international governing body), he helped formulate the rules for women’s international soccer. From 1990-94, he served as a member of the FIFA Appeals Committee (including the 1994 World Cup in the USA) and on the Winnipeg Pan-Am Games Bid Committee in the early 90’s.

Since his days as a Youth Referee (1969-85), Fred Stambrook continued his involvement with Manitoba soccer into the twenty-first century. The former Dean of Faculty Arts and VP Academic at the U of MB can be proud of over three decades of service to the sport he loved.