sport
Box Hill Hawks Return to Prominence at Reopened City Oval
The local club steps into the spotlight for the 2026 season while sports education programs expand pathways for athletes and students.
How we reported this
The Box Hill Hawks are the club making headlines right now as Box Hill City Oval reopened in May 2026 for the team's first home game of the 2026 VFL and VFLW season. The venue features a new playing surface and synthetic exercise track that support both match play and training.
Expanded Education Pathways
The Hawthorn College of Sport, formed through a partnership between Hawthorn Football Club and Box Hill Institute, launched a dual diploma program in Sport and Leadership. Its first cohort began studies in February 2025, building on a pathway to Deakin University that was announced in August 2024. These programs connect directly with the Box Hill Hawks' activities at the oval, giving local athletes structured routes into higher education while they compete.
Box Hill Senior Secondary College operates Australia's first school-based Academy sport programs covering Basketball, AFL/AFLW and Tennis. Talent identification days for these academies were scheduled for May 2024, feeding participants into the same network of facilities and coaching that now includes the upgraded oval.
Joint Management and Future Works
The Box Hill Hawks Football Club and Box Hill Cricket Club have agreed to jointly manage the redeveloped Box Hill City Oval. The West Pavilion is expected to reach completion in mid-2027, providing additional infrastructure that will serve both clubs and the students enrolled in the diploma and academy programs.
These developments position the Hawks and the linked education initiatives at the centre of local sport. The oval reopening supplies an immediate venue for the 2026 season, while the diploma and academy structures create ongoing opportunities for athletes to combine competition with formal study. Joint management by the two clubs ensures coordinated scheduling and maintenance that will benefit training sessions and match days alike. Completion of the West Pavilion will add further capacity without altering the core focus on performance and education already underway.
Residents and participants can follow updates through the clubs' regular communications and the institute's program information as the season progresses and the next intake of students prepares to begin.