Montreal’s Mapp wins 2014 George Gross Memorial Trophy
Montreal Impact’s Justin Mapp has won the George Gross Memorial Trophy after being selected most valuable player of the 2014 Amway Canadian Championship. Mapp won the award after leading Montreal to the 2014 national title, helping his team clinch a spot in 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League.
Mapp, who also won the award when Montreal capture the championship in 2013, stood tall for his club in midfield, even earning him Toronto FC’s head coach Ryan Nelsen praise.
The 29-year old Mapp played three of the club’s four matches of the Amway Canadian Championship. The Montreal Impact eliminated FC Edmonton in the two-leg semi-final series, then eliminated Toronto FC in the two-leg championship final.
The George Gross Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Amway Canadian Championship’s most valuable player. Previous winners are Matt Jordan in 2008, Dwayne De Rosario in 2009 and 2010, Joao Plata in 2011, and Ryan Johnson in 2012.
Mr. George Gross had a prestigious career as a sports writer in Toronto, writing for the Toronto Telegram, the Soccer and Sport News (as publisher) and Toronto Sun (as founding sports editor). He served as one of the founders of the Eastern Professional Soccer League and also general manager of Toronto City Soccer Club in the early 1960s. In recognition of his years of service to sport, he was inducted to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and to The Soccer Hall of Fame in 2006. He passed away on 21 March 2008 at age 85.