Josef Pecanka played hockey (field) for Austria at the 1952 Olympic Games, alongside his brother, Robert Pecanka. Josef, Robert, and another brother, Alois, dominated hockey in Austria for several years.
Josef Pecanka also played football with Simmeringer AC, and later became a coach, leading the Austrian women’s hockey team at the 1980 Moskva Olympics. In 1982 he led the Austrian women’s junior team to the European Junior title, led by two of his daughters, Elli and Gitti. Pecanka also coached football, leading Wien Austria to the Austrian Cup title in 1974, and Rapid Wien to the same title in 1976. He was also known as one of the inventors and pioneers of indoor hockey (field).