Former Paralympian Paul Croft is training the next generation of athletes at Bankstown Sports Club

He’s one of Australia’s most experienced Paralympians, but these days Paul Croft wears a coach’s cap and trains the next generation of Bankstown athletes.

Paralympian Paul Croft has been nominated for the Service to Sport award. Picture: Robert Pozo

• Logen Dillon leaping ahead in league and athletics
• Junior Sports Star 2016: NewsLocal is on the hunt for this year’s best young players, teams, coaches and supporters

He’s one of Australia’s most experienced Paralympians, but these days Paul Croft wears a coach’s cap and trains the next generation of Bankstown athletes.

Croft has spent the past four years at Bankstown Sports Club, conditioning prodigies from eight to 76 years old, and his work is all pro bono.

“My coach had a philosophy that he never charged us, so we’ve adopted that philosophy,” Croft said.

Born with no left arm below his elbow, Croft has competed in four Paralympics in running, table tennis and volleyball.

He was the team captain and flag bearer for Australia at the 1988 Paralympics in Seoul and still holds the Australian record for the fastest marathon time.

These days, Croft says his claim to fame is as the “oldest Little A you’ve ever seen.”

He trains over 20 athletes, with students coming from running, dancing, soccer and even umpiring backgrounds.

“My golden rules are consistency and don’t get injured,” he said.

“But the hardest thing to teach athletes is not to overtrain.”

At 65, Croft has no plans to slow down and draws inspiration from his former coach Graham Kent, who at 82, is still coaching on the Central Coast.

“At my age I try not to do anything I don’t enjoy,” he said.

“So [I’ll coach] till I die.”

Paul is The Express’s latest nominee in the Junior Sports Star Awards category Service to Sport, sponsored by Simonds Homes.

The other categories are Junior Sports Star, sponsored by Rebel, Seam Spirit, sponsored by Fox Sports Pulse and Young Sporting Spirit, sponsored by Simonds Homes.

To nominate, go to juniorsportsstar.com.au