About us

Mission Statement

At the Oshawa Hawkeyes, our mission is to inspire and empower young athletes through the game of football by fostering family values, teamwork, and leadership skills in a supportive and fun environment. We are dedicated to creating a positive space where players of all skill levels can grow, build character, and form lasting friendships, both on and off the field. Together, we strive to cultivate a love for the game while instilling lifelong values of respect, responsibility, and resilience.

Athletes who participate in the Oshawa Hawkeyes will gain the skills, discipline, and experience necessary to excel at the next level, ensuring they are fully prepared for a wide range of opportunities, whether in the CIS, NCAA, or CJFL. Through rigorous training and competition, Oshawa Hawkeyes athletes develop the physical and mental toughness required to succeed in these prestigious programs and beyond.

Our History

The Oshawa Hawkeyes have a rich and storied history, originating from the vision of Ted Morris, the then Chief Canadian Scout for the Toronto Argonauts. In the late 1950s, Morris walked into the office of E. H. Walker, the General Motors of Canada President, and proposed the idea of establishing a Junior Football club in Oshawa. Walker, quick to recognize the potential, embraced the idea, and the result was the creation of the new team for the 1959 season—the Oshawa Imps. The name was inspired by the debut of the new General Motors Impala model, but the name quickly proved to be a poor fit. By 1961, the team rebranded to its current name, the Oshawa Hawkeyes, while retaining the iconic blue and white colours of the Toronto Argonauts.

The founding of the Oshawa Hawkeyes also marked the formation of the Ontario Football Conference (OFC), previously known as the Junior Big Four Football League. The team quickly established itself as a key player in the region, with Walker serving on the first executive alongside a group of prominent local businessmen, including Harry Gay, Graham Coulter, Arn Greene, Murray Maidlow, Tony McIlveen, Dr. Leo Krantz, Faye Brooks, Vern Walker, and Dyson Brooks.

The team’s early years were characterized by a strong commitment to both football and community, a tradition that continued for decades. In 1980, the club expanded its reach when Gord Carey and Ian Bunting, alongside the Oshawa Branch 43 Royal Canadian Legion, introduced the Hawkeye Legionnaires minor system. This initiative launched a Peewee team in the Scarborough Boys Football League, and within a year, Atom and Bantam teams were added. The system continued to grow, with the addition of Midget and Tyke teams, ultimately providing opportunities for players from age 8 to 22 to develop their skills with the Hawkeyes.

The Oshawa Hawkeyes Junior team enjoyed some of their finest years between 1975 and 1982, consistently securing playoff berths and achieving a national No. 3 ranking in 1980. The team’s growth was a testament to the dedication of its coaching staff and players. In 1996, the Hawkeyes hosted the Canadian Bowl (C.J.F.L. championship) between Windsor and Saskatoon. Unfortunately, due to financial challenges, the club was forced to fold before the start of the 1997 season.

Despite this setback, the minor teams continued to thrive. The Midget team earned a League and Provincial championship in 1987, and after the Midget league folded in 1990, head coach Roger Brown led the team to an exhibition schedule, competing against high school teams across Ontario, Ottawa, and even Flint, Michigan. In 1993, the Hawkeyes became founding members of the Great Lakes Football League, competing there until 2000, when they transitioned to the Ontario Varsity Football League (O.V.F.L.).

The Oshawa Hawkeyes' commitment to developing young talent also extended to the minor leagues. Their Bantam teams won both League and Provincial championships in 1986 and again in 1997, while the Atom teams captured similar titles in 1993. These victories underscored the organization’s reputation for fostering competitive and skilled athletes.

In 2001, the Oshawa Hawkeyes Junior team entered the Northern Football Conference (NFC) of the Canadian Major Football League (CMFL), where they won a National Championship in 2006 by defeating the Calgary Wolfpack 43-29 in Red Deer, Alberta. However, financial struggles led to the discontinuation of this team after the 2008 season.

In 2018, the Hawkeyes made another strategic shift, moving to the Ontario Football Conference (OFC) for the spring and summer seasons and to the Ontario Football League (OFL) for the fall. Today, the club operates a full range of teams, including Atom, Peewee and Bantam squads in the fall OFL, and Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Junior, and Senior teams in the spring OFC. The OFC teams compete from May through early August, while the OFL teams play from August through November.



The Oshawa Hawkeyes continue to build on a legacy of excellence, offering a comprehensive football program for athletes at every stage of their development. The official name of the organization remains the OshawaHawkeyes Junior Football Club Inc., a testament to the club’s enduring commitment to the sport and its community.