Clarke Pulford was born in Newton Robinson and grew up in Weston, a talented and skilled all-round athlete from a family of athletes. He played football and hockey for Weston Collegiate, junior lacrosse for his local league and Junior B hockey for Woodbridge, winning the Ontario Hockey Association Junior B Championship in 1954.

At the University of Western Ontario, where he studied Physical and Health Education, he played football and hockey for the varsity teams.

On graduation, he was drafted – ninth overall – by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but he had always wanted to teach high school, and went to the Ontario College of Education instead. He started at Northern Secondary School the next year and remained there until his retirement, teaching physical education and math, and coaching senior football, junior and senior hockey, swimming, and track and field.

During his thirty-five year career he coached eleven TSSAA Senior football championship teams. One of those teams went on to win the Metro Bowl, and one of his hockey teams won the Toronto District Catholic Athletic Association Junior Championship. In 1970, he coached the Lakeshore Maple Leafs Junior Minto Cup champions.

Several of the players he coached and taught went on to pursue successful professional football careers. He himself continued playing and coaching lacrosse outside of school – he played (forward) for the Brampton Excelsiors and coached the Toronto Maple Leafs professional lacrosse team, as well as junior lacrosse.

In honour of his personal accomplishments in sport and the outstanding contribution he made to young athletes, the new sports field at Northern Secondary School has been named the Clarke Pulford Field, after him.

Clarke and his wife Joan now live in Stouffville. They have two children, Sandi and Jill and 5 grandchildren.