Crook, Kirby, Krochak Among 2016
Lacrosse Hall of Fame Inductees
By Scott Taylor, Photos courtesy Manitoba Lacrosse Hall of Fame
Bill Crook was one of the greatest goalkeepers of his era.
Jack Kirby was a defenseman who had a knack for scoring.
Doug Krochak was a player, coach and administrator who
made lacrosse the game it is today in Manitoba.
Together with John Guzej, Joey Harris, Meres Duch, Harry
Rosenbaum and the Winnipeg Warriors Senior Men’s Team,
Crook, Kirby and Krochak officially entered the Manitoba
Lacrosse Hall of Fame on Oct. 2.
“Today we honour and celebrate the individuals and
teams who have played a great part in the history of
lacrosse in Manitoba,” said Hall of Fame President Tom
Parker. “This year we induct into our Hall of Fame a great
goaltender who led his team to many championships and a
veteran player who dominated the senior league in scoring
in the 1950s.
JOHN GUZEJ,
Player/Builder
John started playing minor
lacrosse with Clifton
Community Centre in
1969 and was an integral
part of three provincial
championship boxla teams,
winning the junior title
in 1976 and the senior
crown in 1979 and 1980,
In both seasons, he led the
team in scoring. He was
a solid, two-way player
who demonstrated both
offensive skills and a strong commitment to team defense.
He represented the province as a player at national
championships five times and then began coaching in
2004 with the Falcons Lacrosse organization, where he
continues to coach today.
During that time he has coaching more than 400 players
while leading his teams to six provincial championships.
“We add two excellent players who qualified for the
player/builder category for the great work and dedication
they provided to enhance our sport through coaching
and sport leadership roles. Sports like lacrosse just don’t
happen and require a great effort of people dedicated to
the building of strong community programs. We salute our
three builders and recognize their strengths in organizing
such lacrosse communities.
“We have also had many great teams playing in Manitoba
and representing our province in national championships,
and this year we recognize a team that dominated the
senior league from 1982 through 1991.”
Let’s meet the Manitoba Lacrosse Hall of Fame
Inductees. Thanks to the Hall for their assistance with the
new members’ biographies.
JOEY HARRIS, Pl
ayer/Builder
Joey’s began his
career in 1970 pl
aying minor box
lacrosse at Elmw
ood’s Kelvin Com
munity Centre. In
1977 Joey was se
lected to the Team
Manitoba junior
squad that compe
ted in the Canada
Games. He
played on the pr
ovincial senior ch
ampion Winnipe
Northstars in 19
g
78 and then, afte
r the team was
renamed the Ea
st Side Stars in 19
82, he played on
another provinci
al senior box lacr
osse champion.
Five more provin
cial senior boxla
ch
ampionships
while playing fo
r three different
teams were to fo
in 1993, 1994, 19
llow
95, 1999 and 2000
. He was named
the Team Canada
to
squad that compe
ted for the World
Intercrosse Cup
in 2003, winning
the FIIC bronze
medal. Joey has
also made signific
ant contributions
lacrosse in Man
to
itoba as an offic
ia
l
and coach. He w
previously indu
as
cted into the Man
itoba Lacrosse H
of Fame in 2013
all
as a player with
th
e 1985 and 1986
Canadian cham
pions, Manitoba
Senior Men’s Fiel
Lacrosse Team.
d
S SENIOR MEN’S, Team
1982,
1982-1991 WINNIPEG WARRIOR
nipeg Senior Lacrosse League in
Box Lacrosse Team joined the Win
B
ior
d to the
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uate
rior
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War
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had
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who
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ers
The
was comprised of play
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. The Warriors were
continuing until the league’s
81, with the Warriors Junior B club
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l,
leve
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the
at
ed
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the
to
ing
anc
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ior
sen
acy. This marked the
instantly competitive at the
atic of senior box lacrosse suprem
lem
emb
,
phy
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s
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Free
Winnipeg Senior Box
In 1984 they claimed their first
team went on to win a total of six
the
as
cess
suc
of
rd
reco
ted
beginning of an unpreceden
the decade.
Lacrosse Championships during
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