The Dunstan High School assistant principal has coached at the school since 1984 and he had six years at Central Southland College before that.
His main sport is athletics, but he has also coached both schools' First XVs, as well as cross-country and helped with management in road cycling.
''I've obviously developed a certain amount of knowledge and skills over the years and I've been able to pass that on and watch other kids grow and develop from it,'' he said.
''I get a lot of pleasure out of watching kids improve and making a difference.
''You don't have to be a super-athlete to be involved in my team; you just have to be keen and I'll make you better than you are.''
Hamilton was a sprinter when he competed, being a national 400m medallist. However, his coaching extended to all events, primarily looking after Dunstan athletes, along with those at the Alexandra Athletics Club.
He coached his athletes year-round, usually training five days a week over winter and six or seven days in summer. The commitment was not a small one, especially coming from a town that was not a main centre.
''Travel is a big hindrance. You've got to be well-prepared and you've got to make sacrifices.
''You've got to be committed to travel. It's a whole day's travel and it's costly, but the benefits are huge, so you don't try to dwell on those [costs] too much.''
He had coached many talented athletes, including Geoff Clark, who finished seventh at the Junior World Championships in the 400m, and Rhian Ward who competed at the Youth Olympics in Australia.
Recently, he had been involved in coaching talented jumper Adriana Mawhinney. While those high-level successes were great, they were not the reason he coached.
''They're no more important than anyone who competes at a provincial level and does well - they're all important.''
Coaching was key in helping interact with pupils in a school environment.
''All of that, it's about relationships.
''If you can make that connection and engagement, it's so easy in the classroom. You're getting to find out what makes a kid tick. The kids respect that, and I don't have any difficulty with kids at school. They appreciate what you do for them and it's being kind to each other I guess.''
He said while it was a big commitment, being involved in sports was a hugely rewarding experience for teachers.
''When you do these extra things on top of the curriculum, you get so many rewards in return. It's taxing in terms of time and energy, but well I've been teaching a long time and that's one of the reasons it's kept me going: the rewards are huge.
''All going well, if my old joints will keep allowing me to do things, I've got quite a few years in me yet. That's my ambition. I'm not giving up just yet.''
-By Jeff Cheshire
