When Forge were handed the CPL Shield as the league’s regular season champions, the celebrations were understandably muted.

They had clinched the title the week before, but were awarded the trophy following a home match against Atlético Ottawa on Oct. 12, where they suffered just their second home loss of the season.

For at least one member of the Forge team, however, it was an unforgettable experience. This was the first trophy of 25-year-old goalkeeper Jassem Koleilat’s professional career, and he made sure to soak in the moment properly.

“I think I couldn’t let go of the Shield once we got it, I was holding it around the whole time,” said Koleilat with a laugh. “It’s something you cherish. As a player, you want to win trophies, and to be able to win my first one, in my first year at Forge was huge.”

In the first six years of the CPL, Forge have built their reputation by filling their trophy cabinet. Now, as they enter year seven, they do so with a number of new faces in their lineup, and new core pieces, like Koleilat, looking to carry on the incredible legacy of those who came before them.

“I’m lucky to be in a team with such a winning mindset, and a winning environment, and it’s helped me learn and grow as a player, and hopefully it’ll project me onto another good season,” said Koleilat.

Koleilat’s journey to Hamilton has been quite a winding road. Born in Prague, Czech Republic, he moved to Dubai when he was two years old. His youth career saw stops in France and back in the Czech Republic, before he played University ball in both Iowa and New Hampshire.

After his graduation, he spent a season for Los Angeles FC 2 in MLS Next Pro. But when Forge, who he trained with as a collegiate player back in 2022, came calling, he saw it as the perfect next step. He initially joined the club on a short-term contract ahead of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, before signing permanently prior to the 2024 regular season.

He had to wait a bit for the opportunity to come to fruition, however, as through the first few months of the campaign, it was Chris Kalongo who started 12 of Forge’s first 17 matches. After an injury for Kalongo in August, however, Koleilat finally got his chance and didn’t look back. He played nine of the club’s final eleven regular season matches — and all three of their playoff contests, including the 2024 CPL Final against Cavalry.

Despite playing just 14 regular season matches, he put up outstanding numbers, finishing first in the league in save percentage (75.47 per cent) and save percentage inside the box (64.71) as well as passing accuracy among goalkeepers (82.47). He also kept seven clean sheets (tied for second most) and saved 5.67 goals above expected.

As he goes into year two with Forge, perhaps the biggest change for Koleilat will be directly in front of him. The club’s backline has seen significant turnover, with the departures of Garven Metusala, Daniel Parra, Dominic Samuel and Malcolm Duncan. In their place, Rezart Rama returns to the club, alongside newcomers Dan Nimick from Halifax Wanderers and Serbian left-back Marko Jevremović.

“Playing with them has been a delight, and especially in training; we push ourselves to be really solid defensively,” said Koleilat. “I think across the board, we’re going to be a team that really loves to be able to challenge opposition forward, and hopefully keep most of the sheets clean.”

In particular, Koleilat says he has formed a good connection with new central defender Nimick. The pair share a similar career path, with Nimick coming through the Leeds United academy before playing at the collegiate level with Western Michigan.

The new backline was put under a significant stress test in February when Forge met Liga MX giants Monterrey in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup first round. In the end, Forge lost 5-0 on aggregate over the two legs, but against some of the best attackers in the region, there were still some strong performances and important learnings to glean.

“Going up against opposition like that is really fun, you know,” said Koleilat. “It levels up your game as to what you can do as a goalkeeper and the organization of your defence and keeping shots out of the net.”

While Koleilat was again between the sticks for both of those matches, his first challenge this year is continuing to establish himself as the clear starter. Forge FC manager Bobby Smyrniotis has been consistent with the fact that he has two number one goalkeepers, and Kalongo is sure to get his chance to impress this year as well.

“I believe in both of them as starting goalkeepers, and they do a great job of challenging each other but at the same time supporting each other,” said Smyrniotis during preseason. “As a coach you can’t ask for more in the squad because we know that the depth of your squad is usually the success in this league.”

But Koleilat is worrying only about his own performances, and how he can continue to develop in his young professional career.

“It’s only my third year as a professional player, but I just want to keep learning and achieving and getting better, and pushing myself to achieve great things,” said Koleilat. “And not only as an individual, but as a team. Because it’s always better to celebrate with your friends and family. So that’s what I’m looking forward to.”

Forge kick off their season at home on April 5 against Cavalry FC in a rematch of the 2024 CPL Final. If all goes to plan, there will be a few more trophies this year for Koleilat to hold onto tightly.