Former Ardenne goalie 'Birdie' living out his dream

The alumni of Ardenne High School from the 1994-1997 years and other football fans of that era will most likely remember Peter-John 'Birdie' Falloon, goalkeeper for the Manning Cup team, who often was seen flying through the air like a bird to catch the ball, determined to let nothing pass.

Falloon's early passion for football and his developing prowess earned him a place on the Under-12 Jamaica team to the Miami Classic International Soccer Tournament in 1990, where he played as a goalkeeper.

Initially, he attended Wolmer's Boys' School where he played lawn tennis, football, and cricket.

But there was nothing to him like football. He "ate, slept and drank" football and his dream was to be immersed in it all his life.

Blossomed

Falloon transferred to Ardenne in 1993 and under the tutelage of his coach and mentor, Hugh McCarthy, he blossomed as a goalkeeper, playing as Ardenne's first-string Manning Cup goalie for four consecutive years.

In 1997 and 1998, he came to national attention as an invitee for the Jamaica Under-20 and Under-23 teams.

In 1999, Falloon entered Union County College in New Jersey, United States, where he excelled, copping all-conference and all-region awards. On receipt of a scholarship in 2002, he transferred to Kean University where he was goalkeeper for the Cougars and captain in his senior year.

After graduating from Kean with a Bachelor of Science degree in Graphic Communications in 2005, he began a career in coaching as an assistant with Union County College. He helped to guide the College to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) regional finals in 2005 and 2006, and the national finals in 2007, when he was one of the recipients of the Coaching Staff of the Year award.

Assistant coach

By 2008, he was offered a job as assistant coach at Bloomfield College, New Jersey, and was appointed head coach in the fall of the same year.

Since taking the reins there, he has guided the Deacons - the Bloomfield team - to three consecutive Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) play-off tournaments and two finals.

The outstanding performance of his team in 2010, with an unbeaten record of 10-0-1, earned the Deacons the CACC title for the regular season, during which they defeated two nationally ranked teams and reached as high as number 13 in the national rankings.

Based on the team's overall performance, they earned a place in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament - the first time ever for a men's soccer team from Bloomfield College.

As a result of the successes of the Bloomfield team, Falloon was named the CACC Coach of the Year for 2010.

"We are all so proud of Peter for what he has been able to accomplish with the men's soccer programme here at Bloomfield," said athletics director Sheila Wooten.

"The way he has turned the programme around is remarkable and we congratulate him on being recognised for the tremendous job he has done over his three years here."

Peter-John 'Birdie' Falloon is indeed living out his dream; for football to be the centre of his universe.