Born in Italy in 1949 and immigrated to Port Colborne in 1950. Paul played high school football for the Port Colborne Blue Bears. In 1968 Paul was invited to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats High School football camp by Mr. Bernie Custis, a CFL hall of famer. This camp led to a roster spot on the affiliate of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Burlington Braves from 1968 to 1970. Paul was named the MVL (Most Valuable Linemen) in 1969 and 1970 and was one of the team captains during those two years. In 1970 the Burlington Braves won the Ontario Championship, Eastern Canadian Championships but lost the Canadian Championship in Saskatchewan. Paul was recruited to play football for the University of Western Ontario. He started at defensive tackle for Western from 1972 to 1975, he was named to the Ontario Universities Athletic Association (OUAA) All-Star team in 1974 and 1975, was an integral member of the roster that won the Canadian Championship in 1974, and was named as team captain in 1975. In the 1975 CFL draft, Paul was drafted 66th overall by the British Columbia Lions, but sustained multiple injuries in his rookie season which led to an untimely retirement from football.
In 1976, Paul went on to become a high school teacher and football coach at Notre Dame High School in Welland and took his teams to seven straight championship games winning six of the seven titles. In 1988 Paul became Lakeshore Catholic High School's inaugural Vice-Principal and head football coach. In 2017 Paul was honored by having a Niagara Regional football trophy named after him, The Paul Barchiesi award, which is given each year to the Niagara Catholic Athletic Association's Most Valuable Defensive Player. If you were to ask Paul, he would tell you his greatest achievement in life is his family. His wife Mary (nee McAvoy) who he married in 1977 and his three sons Aaron, Nolan and Bryan.
