Skip to content

Viktor Gutierrez cracks University of Prince Edward Island men's soccer team roster

When Viktor Gutierrez played with Team NWT's boys soccer team at the Canada Summer Games last month, he didn't know where he would be going for post-secondary matriculation.

After the Canada Summer Games ended, the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) made that decision for him.

Viktor Gutierrez, right, seen during the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg last month, is now part of the University of Prince Edward Island's men's soccer team.
Thorsten Gohl/Team NWT photo

The 18-year-old Sir John Franklin High School graduate is now a member of the UPEI Panthers men's soccer team after being offered a spot based on his Games performance in Winnipeg. He's now enrolled at the school, has been through team trials and even earned himself a full roster spot.

“I had no idea I was being looked at,” said Gutierrez.

Gutierrez is perhaps best known as the player who scored the NWT's only goal in Winnipeg. He said the first clue he was being watched came after the team's game against New Brunswick, which made Gutierrez a hot commodity as three schools, including UPEI, took notice.

“I's normally a midfielder but I asked Huw (Morris, head coach) if I could play striker that game,” said Gutierrez.

After the Yukon game, two of the schools told Gutierrez he needed to improve on his skills but UPEI still had faith in him, especially after the NWT played P.E.I.

“Lewis (Page, UPEI head coach) came and told me I had natural soccer ability,” he said. “He told me he would groom me and help me build into a good player.”
From there, it was off to training camp, where Gutierrez was given a spot on the main roster and a running start to his post-secondary soccer career. He's one of five rookies on the team this season.

“It's a great set-up here,” he said. “Most of the guys are older but they're all really nice.”
UPEI plays in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) and Gutierrez said the style of soccer down east is very physical.

“It's faster and more intense than the soccer I'm used to playing,” he said. “There's a lot of pressure but the soccer is fantastic. I love it.”

He said the soccer is so intense he was injured in a pre-season game against Holland College in the 'P.E.I. Derby' held on the island.

Nothing too serious, he said, although it did require a trip to the hospital.

“I'm just lucky I was able to recover quickly and I won't have too much time off,” said Gutierrez.

Soccer is something Gutierrez has always had a passion for; he's one of the lucky ones who gets a chance to do what he loves.

He figures one of the reasons he got looked at is because he hails from the North.

“We get a lot more opportunity because we have a small population in the North,” he said. “We get to travel a lot and that means a lot of people are watching us. We might not be the people the scouts come to watch at first but we make an impression. University soccer was always on the cards for me and I thought it would happen but now it's real and it's amazing.”
Playing soccer professionally is Gutierrez's dream but if that doesn't happen, he's hoping to fall back on an education degree and become a teacher.

“I've always loved working with kids,” he said. “I'd like to come back to Yellowknife and teach one day.”

Gutierrez said he wants to be an example for other Northern youth and show them that they can make their dreams come true.

“Just because we come from the NWT, that doesn't give us a disadvantage,” he said. “Through hard work and determination, the passion we hold for our sport can bring us success at any level.”