Baulkham Hills FC is the oldest club in the Hills Football Association, spanning seven decades and entering their 64th season, this community focused club is helping shape the next generation whilst also allowing previous generations to return to the club they call home.
Playing out of Ted Horwood Reserve, Baulkham Hills has over 750 active players and fields more than 50 teams entering the 2026 spanning from U6’s and the Little Legends program to Over 55 squads with some players entering their 70s.
Tony Hughes has been involved with the club for nearly 30 years, in where he has worn many different hats, starting out as the U6’s-U7’s coordinator then progressing to a coach, manger, club secretary and now club president which he has held for the past seven years.
Coming from a Rugby League background, Hughes admits that his knowledge of football when his son started at U6’s was very limited, though three decades on and now with his son and grandson playing at the club he has fallen in love with the sport and the club.
“It’s a hobby for one of a better word,” Hughes said.
“This is my outlet on the weekend, we enjoy it. Some days you’d like to toss it in; it has its moments. But, last Saturday, for me, it was the best day. I hate February, March, trying to get teams on the field and grading. Opening weekend, to start cooking in the canteen, talking to people, going to my son’s game, and that sort of thing is what I love. I got home exhausted Saturday night, but I thought, what a great day.”
Baulkham Hills won five grand finals last season and had over 20 teams participating in the semifinals. Though to Hughes, Baulkham Hills is much more than the trophies they can win on the field; it’s about the people and allowing players to connect to the game at all ages.
“We’re not trophy hunters. For a medium sized club, I think we did pretty good,” Hughes said.
“If we win competitions, we win competitions. If we don’t but the guys get to play football and live out their football dreams on a Saturday afternoon, have a few laughs afterwards with their mates, that’s fine I don’t have a problem with that.
Hughes emphasised that Baulkham Hills is a family club, but he specifically enjoys seeing multiple generations don the maroon and yellow from mum and dad’s retuning to play at the club down to their kids just starting their football journey.
“People want to come back and play senior football here,” Hughes said.
“When I look at our all-age teams, the majority of them are filled with ex-players from when they were juniors. Some of them don’t care if they win or lose, they like playing with their mates.”
“We have three generations of players here. We’ve got mums playing in older age groups and their daughters and their little kids and it’s the same with the boys and I think that’s important.”
“My father always taught me, and my wife is very much the same. It’s about giving back to the community and to me that’s why we’re here,” Hughes said.
