2022 Coaching Group Confirmed

With pre-season preparations officially underway, the Box Hill Hawks are pleased to confirm our 2022 VFL coaching group.

Senior Coach Clint Proctor will be supported by the returning Clinton Young, who’ll oversee the midfield group, and newly announced playing-assistant coach Damian Mascitti, who’ll work closely with the backs.

Hawthorn Development Coach Andy Otten, who deputised as Sam Mitchell’s backs coach throughout parts of 2021, will serve as Proctor’s Senior Assistant, with former Tiger Cam Howat joining as forwards coach.

“We’re thrilled with the group we’ve assembled to lead our football program in 2022,” said Daniel Napoli – GM VFL and VFLW.

“It’s always a priority of ours to put together the best collective of coaches and support staff we can, knowing a well resourced football department is key to achieving on-field success.”

Napoli praised the experience and expertise of the Club’s coaching class of 2022, led by Proctor.

“Clint made such a strong impression in 2021, immediately endearing himself to the group with his knowledge, coaching style and passion for the game. And, crucially, his ability to foster really strong relationships across all levels of the Club.

“We are a development-orientated Club and in Clint we’ve a coach whose philosophies and attitude is perfectly aligned with ours. 

“He’s done a long apprenticeship to earn this opportunity and we’re so pleased he’ll be leading us in 2022.

“Damian Mascitti has been a key figure within the walls of City Oval since joining us at the close of 2018.

“We knew what we were getting on the field when we recruited him because he’d been a top player in the VFL for so long.

“What has become apparent during his time with us is just how much he has to offer in the coaching and leadership space.

“We had conversations throughout 2021 about what next year looked like for him, knowing we wanted him to play on, and we’re thrilled he shared the same interest in coaching as we did providing the platform. 

“He’ll be a great asset to the developing talent on our and Hawthorn’s lists.”

Between them, the coaches box will have over 250 games of experience at the elite level to call on, as well as strong backgrounds in and exposure to playing and coaching in the game’s development pathways.

“Clinton Young and Andy Otten both proved fantastic additions to our coaching ranks in 2021, so to have ‘Youngy’ re-commit and ‘Otto’ take on a bigger role is exciting.

“Their experience speaks for itself and being out of the game only recently, their insights will continue to be a wonderful resource.

“Cam Howat is another with great experience at the elite level and joins us having spent 2021 with Footscray as a Development Coach. 

“Also, having been a standout amateur player with Old Carey and Vermont he’ll bring an invaluable perspective to our group.

“Cam will have so many shared experiences with a number of our developing players and therefore be someone they’ll be able to learn from and look up to.”

Supporting the senior coaching structure will be the Club’s development coaching group. 

Consisting of Head of Development David Banfield, who will again take the lead on the Hawks’ ‘Spread Your Wings’ program, and Kade Pargeter & Jason Philactides, who will continue to liaise closely with emerging talent out of Gippsland Power and Eastern Ranges respectively. 

Box Hill’s pre-season officially commenced Tuesday November 23rd at Hawthorn’s Bunjil Bagora facility, with Napoli now putting the finishing touches on the Club’s next big project.

“The Hawks Academy Pathway is, arguably, as important a program as the Hawthorn-Box Hill alignment has established.

“It will see the Box Hill program integrate Hawthorn’s father-son, father-daughter and Next Generation Academy prospects, as well as other promising talent from the Eastern corridor, into our men’s and women’s pathways.

“We’re in the process of finalising appointments for roles within that set-up and will be in a position to formally announce those shortly.”