After six seasons as a Trident, Pacific FC Captain Josh Heard has announced his retirement from professional football at the conclusion of the 2026 season.
For Heard, the journey has always been more about football. From a young player growing up on the Island to a CPL champion and club captain, his career has been defined by hard work, resilience and the relationships he has built along the way. And for Pacific FC, it has been a privilege to be part of that story.
Heard moved to Victoria from Cardiff, Wales at the age of three and grew up playing soccer on Vancouver Island. He played youth soccer with Lakehill Soccer Association, Victoria Metro and the Victoria Highlanders before moving south to attend the University of Washington, where he made 74 appearances, scored 13 goals and recorded eight assists between 2012 and 2015.
In 2016, Heard was selected 71st overall by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the MLS SuperDraft, but signed with United Soccer League (USL) side Bethlehem Steel FC instead. He joined Real Monarchs in Salt Lake City in February 2018 before heading to Austria on a season-long loan with third-tier club FC Pinzgau Saalfelden in 2019.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought unexpected challenges. With football disrupted and his visa expired, Heard found himself back in Canada, unable to return to the United States. What initially appeared to be an obstacle would ultimately lead him home.
In July 2020, Heard signed with Pacific FC, returning to Vancouver Island as the club continued to establish itself in the Canadian Premier League’s early years. He joined the Tridents during a particularly unusual period in the league’s history, making his debut in the 2020 CPL Island Games bubble on Prince Edward Island. It was an unconventional start to his time with the club, but it would mark the beginning of a six-season chapter that would come to define his career.
The following year proved historic. In 2021, Pacific FC made its mark on Canadian football, defeating Major League Soccer’s Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the TELUS Canadian Championship before going to lift the Canadian Premier League Championship trophy against Forge FC.
Heard played a key role in the club’s memorable victory over the Whitecaps, contributing a goal and an assist in a result that demonstrated Pacific’s ability to compete with the country’s’ top sides. The Tridents carried that momentum into the league season, ultimately claiming their first CPL championship. For Heard, the championship was a defining moment in his career, one that would remain among the highlights of his time in professional football.
Over the seasons that followed, Heard continued to be a fixture in the PFC lineup. Through changes in squads, coaching staffs and seasons, he remained a constant, earning his place not only through performances but through consistency and commitment he brought to the club.
There has never been much doubt about what Heard brings to the pitch. Tenacious, competitive and relentless in his work rate, he has built a reputation as a player who gives everything to the contest. Whether winning a tackle, creating a scoring opportunity or finding the back of the net himself, Heard has never been one to shy away from a battle.
That competitive edge is matched by a genuine commitment to the team around him. Across six seasons, Heard has experienced the highs and lows of professional football, becoming a trusted presence in the dressing room and a leader for the players who have shared the pitch with him. Season after season, he returned to the squad, continuing to contribute to the club both on and off the pitch.
By the conclusion of his career with the Tridents, Heard will have recorded 162 appearances, 10,931 minutes played, 23 goals and 10 assists, alongside 41 yellow cards, making him the club’s all-time appearance leader. The numbers speak to his consistency and dedication, but they cannot fully capture what he has meant to the club.
For all that Heard has accomplished on the pitch, his impact at the club extends well beyond match day.
A hometown player representing his community at the professional level, he has embraced the opportunity to connect with the next generation of footballers on Vancouver Island. Through youth soccer appearances, school visits, conversations with supporters and his own work helping young players develop, Heard has become an important ambassador for the club.
He understands what it means for young players to see someone from their own community reach the professional game. His journey offers a reminder that the path to playing at the highest level can begin right here on the Island. Whether representing Pacific FC at a community event or taking the time to speak with a fan, Heard has consistently demonstrated the value of those relationships, strengthening the connection between the club and the community it represents.
It is a side of his career that means just as much as the goals, the victories and the championship medal.
As Heard reflected on his retirement announcement, the moments he values most are not necessarily the ones that take place on the pitch.
“It’s the people.”
He went on to recognize the teammates who became brothers, the coaches who challenged him, the staff who work behind the scenes and the supporters who showed up week after week. It is a fitting reflection from a player whose six years at Pacific FC have been shaped by the people around him, just as much as by the football itself.
After 162 appearances in purple, the time has come for Heard to bring his professional playing career to a close. His journey has taken him from local soccer fields on Vancouver Island to university football in the United States, professional dressing rooms across North American and Europe, and ultimately, back to his hometown club, where he helped deliver one of the most significant moments in Pacific FC history.
He leaves the game as a CPL champion, PFC’s all-time appearance leader and a captain who has represented his community with pride.
Reflecting on his decision, Heard expressed gratitude for the opportunities football has given him and the people who helped him along the way. He also leaves with a simple source of pride, knowing that every time he stepped onto the pitch, he gave everything he had.
And, as he put it, he had “an absolute blast doing it.”
Congratulations on an incredible career, Josh. Thank you for six unforgettable seasons with Pacific FC.