- Nationality
Canada- Most Recent Club
- Carolina Railhawks
- Former Clubs
- FC Edmonton
- Post-Secondary Teams
- Trinity Western Spartans, Cape Breton Capers
- Birthplace
- Calgary, Alberta
Born in Calgary in 1988, Paul Hamilton built an accomplished soccer career that took him from Calgary Foothills through university soccer, the professional ranks and into coaching and technical leadership.
From 1998 to 2006, Paul played with Calgary Foothills Soccer Club, including the Calgary Foothills Irish. He helped the team win a U18 Alberta Provincial Championship and earn a silver medal at the National Championships before moving into Canadian university soccer.
Paul began his post-secondary career with the Cape Breton Capers in 2006, where he was named Atlantic University Sport Rookie of the Year and earned AUS Second Team All-Star honours. He then transferred to Trinity Western University and became one of the most decorated players in Spartans history.
From 2007 to 2009, Paul was a Canada West First Team All-Star in all three seasons at Trinity Western. He earned All-Canadian honours each year and, in 2009, was named both Canada West Player of the Year and CIS National Player of the Year. During his time at TWU, the Spartans won the 2007 Canada West championship and earned silver at the 2008 national championship and bronze in 2009.
His university career was later recognized with induction into the Canada West Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Trinity Western Spartans Hall of Fame in 2022.
Paul’s performances at the university level helped launch his professional career. In 2009, he joined the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency side in the USL PDL. Two years later, he signed with FC Edmonton ahead of the club’s inaugural NASL season. In 2012, Paul was named to the NASL Best XI and was also selected as FC Edmonton’s supporters’ MVP.
In 2013, Paul joined the Carolina RailHawks, now North Carolina FC, where he made 24 appearances in what would become his final professional season.
After leaving the professional game, Paul continued playing at a high level with Edmonton Scottish in the Alberta Major Soccer League. As captain, he helped lead the club to the 2016 Canada Soccer Challenge Trophy national championship and was named tournament MVP. He was also named Alberta Major Soccer League MVP in both 2016 and 2018.
His impact on the game continued well beyond his playing career. Paul moved into coaching and technical leadership with Edmonton Scottish, earning Canada Soccer’s National Youth Licence and National B Licence. He has held senior technical and player-development responsibilities with the club and has also coached Edmonton Scottish at the League1 Alberta level.
Paul has also stayed connected to the soccer community off the field. In 2020, he was among the organizers of Kooy’s Team for Care, a fundraising initiative created to support former FC Edmonton teammate Chris Kooy and his family during Kooy’s cancer treatment.
From his years developing at Calgary Foothills to becoming one of the country’s top university players, playing professionally and later helping develop the next generation, Paul’s career reflects the kind of pathway Foothills strives to create for its players.
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