This week’s Throwback Thursday player is:
Steve “Chugger” Dietrich
Steve Dietrich is the General Manager of the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League. Dietrich is also a NLL Hall of Fame goaltender who has played with the Calgary Roughnecks, Buffalo Bandits, Rochester Knighthawks, Detroit Turbos, Baltimore Thunder, and Toronto Rock.
Dietrich played six seasons with each of the Bandits and Knighthawks. He led the Bandits to the NLL Championship game twice, in 2004 and 2006, and also won the Championship with the Knighthawks in 1997, when he was named Championship game MVP. He was named NLL Goaltender of the Year in both 2005 and 2006, and was the first goaltender to be named NLL MVP in 2006.
MILL/NLL career…
1992 Baltimore Thunder
1994 Detroit Turbos
1995-01 Rochester Knighthawks
2002-07 Buffalo Bandits
2008 Calgary Roughnecks
2009 Edmonton Rush
2009-10 Toronto Rock
On November 22, 2010, Dietrich announced his retirement as a player in the NLL to become the Toronto Rock’s goaltending coach.
In July 2012, Dietrich was announced as the new General Manager of the Buffalo Bandits, after Darris Kilgour was relieved of that title earlier in the month.
On July 30, 2012, Dietrich was elected in the NLL Hall of Fame. Dietrich was the leading vote-getter, appearing on 79% of all ballots cast.
Won one MILL Championship with the Rochester Knighthawks in 1997.
Awards:
- 1997 MILL Championship game MVP
- 2006 NLL Most Valuable Player
- 2005 & 2006 NLL Goaltender of the Year
Gary Groob has been involved with Lacrosse for the majority of his life, whether playing, coaching, or covering the sport for the media.
An avid fan, with a real drive about helping to “grow the game”, Gary became part of podcasts about the game in 2010. Through the podcasts, Mr. Groob was given an opportunity to write about lacrosse, and the rest as they say, is history.
Through many miles (flying and driving) Gary has made inroads with the National Lacrosse League, Major Series Lacrosse League, the Ontario Lacrosse Association, as well as the Arena Lacrosse League, covering the leagues, their teams, and players, working for, and in concert with all of them.
In the year 2020, Mr. Groob was made the media person for the Arena Lacrosse League, voted onto the board of directors of the Brampton Excelsiors Lacrosse Club, as well as being made administrator of the Lacrosse page “Global Lacrosse” with a membership of 9000 members in over 90 Countries. Gary was also made an administrator of Lacrosse History Past Present and Future in 2022.
Mr. Groob co-hosts a weekly Lacrosse show on Spanglish Sports World, and ZingoTV channel 250, as well as writes a weekly lacrosse column for La Portada Canada News (both in print, and online).
Gary also hosts a Lacrosse talk show and podcast for The Edge of Philly Sports Network, seen live Sunday nights at 9pm (ET), and archived on the Edge of Philly YouTube page, as well as Spotify.
Mr. Groob’s other sports interests include Hockey, Football, Boxing, Wrestling, and Baseball, competing competitively in Boxing and Wrestling for many years.
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