Croft, Gary

BORN 6 APRIL 1952, Gary Croft was a long-serving defenseman, and later captain and coach of the Blackhawks ice hockey club in the Victorian A-grade from 1969. Remembered at the Club for his high-energy game and no-nonsense approach, "Jersey No. 5 patrolled the blue line through many years of service, finishing in a 'Hawks premiership team that also featured his son, Darren".

Croft played 619 senior career games in the Victorian Leagues from 1969 to 2011, predominately with the Blackhawks, but also the Rangers, Braves and Marauders. The Blackhawks played at St Moritz until 1977 when the Club moved to the newly opened Colosseum rink in Dandenong. One of a few of players to have exceeded 600 games, the defenseman donated his Club's Best Defenceman perpetual trophy and was made a Life Member.

The blueliner won four straight Goodall Cups for Victoria, 1973 to 76, and continued on for over twenty years until 1996. He represented Australia in the 1974 and 1979 World Championships and the three-match series against West Germany (Junior U21) in 1977. In 1980, he was Captain of Dandenong in the National Ice Hockey League and a Victorian All-Star.

Croft coached the Club's A and B-grade teams, and said once, "I never coached a team in which my son played". He was also a club president and committee member in a number of roles and played for the Marauders in the Old Timers League. In 2015, he was awarded Life Membership of his state association.

Son Darren played for the Melbourne Ice in the AIHL, represented Australia at the 2002 World Championships, and played his 250th local game at the Melbourne Jets in 2016. Also known by the moniker, "King Bonza", Gary Croft built a successful plumbing, heating and air conditioning contracting company which his son continues.