Forge FC Hamilton announced Tuesday the club has signed captain Kyle Bekker to a new contract. The influential midfielder has led Forge FC to three North Star Shields in 2019, ’20 and ’22 and was named the CPL’s 2020 Player of the Year and runner-up for the CPL’s 2019 and 2022 Player of the Year Awards.

“Since day one, Kyle has been such an important leader of our club both on and off the field,” said Forge FC Director of Football and Business Costa Smyrniotis. “His unwavering commitment to our club and growing the game in our community is so strong. We look forward to continued success together for years to come.”

Bekker, 32, leads the club with 117 total appearances for Forge FC over four seasons (2019-22), including 94 in CPL play, 15 in Concacaf League, two in Concacaf Champions League, and six Canadian Championship matches, registering 15 goals and 14 assists overall in all competitions.

Prior to joining Forge FC, Bekker suited up in 58-career Major League Soccer regular season games, including 33 starts, from 2013-16 with Toronto FC, FC Dallas and the Montreal Impact after being selected third overall in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft by Toronto. He spent 2018 with North Carolina FC in the United Soccer League, earning USL All-League Second Team honours, and 2017 with the North American Soccer League’s San Francisco Deltas where he led the team to the league championship.

The Oakville, Ontario native graduated from Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis’ Sigma FC youth academy and went on to spend four years at Boston College from 2009-12. Internationally, Bekker has 18 senior caps, including 10 starts, with the Canadian Men’s National Team from 2012 to 2017 where he recorded two assists overall.