Heroes of Hockey I Gary Adlam

Not even a near-death experience could stop Gary Adlam reaching the half-century of CBH Group Country Championships appearances last month.

Adlam went into cardiac arrest playing hockey in 2019 at just 60-years old before his wife brought him back from the dead.

It took 36 minutes of being resuscitated by his wife who happens to be a clinical nurse.

“She did CPR on me and then tried to use the defibrillator - but it didn’t work because it didn’t have a battery in it,” Gary says.

“The ambulance took forever to get there - but I don’t remember, I’ve just been told my wife saved my life.

“I wouldn’t be here without her.”

Doctors doubted Gary would survive, let alone get back to whatever life he had before.

“Luckily, I came through,” he says. 

“My daughter was in England for a week and flew back because we were told I wasn’t going to make it.

“Even my surgeon didn’t think I was going to get through.”

But Gary says it didn’t take him long at all to get back on his feet after surgery, wanting to make his return to the turf just one week after the ordeal.

“I was supposed to be making my 49th country championship appearance that year,” he says.

“I had the operation on Thursday and honestly I wanted to go out and play hockey on Saturday.

“Well it wasn’t going to happen of course, but I was ready.”

A year later, Gary could finally make his return - but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. 

After his heart issues, he decided it best to give that one a miss and come back better and stronger for number 49 in 2021.

That he did, and before Gary knew it he was making his 50th appearance at this year’s CBH Group Men’s Country Championships. 

“It wasn’t even meant to be an achievement, the 50,” he says. 

“I just love coming to country champs.”

From his maiden tournament in 1971 at just 12 years old until 2019 - he’d never missed one, always playing for whichever town he was living in at the time, or as a ring-in for another. 

Merredin, Avon, Geraldton and Bunbury are just four of the sides Gary has represented, with a number of titles also under his belt. 

He says it’s the community aspect that makes it so irresistible. 

“We used to have dinners with all the teams on a Sunday at the WACA, that was my favourite part,” he says. 

“We also got to even play some finals at the ground, not all of them but the finals we did.”

Aside from the community aspect, like many West Australians, Gary’s family ties are what drew him to the sport. 

“I got into hockey because of my parents,” he says. 

“Dad started playing in 1947, and his first country championship was in 1950.

“He played 45 consecutive country championships, and 48 in his lifetime.”

Gary’s father Brian’s commitment to the game is what shaped his passion for the game. 

Over the years, he’s given hockey his all - and somehow finds time to play basketball too.

He’s coached, umpired, volunteered and been the president of multiple clubs.

Gary even wrote the entire bylaws for one of his former associations. 

Representing Western Australia in the state country side in excess of 10 times, Gary is the epitome of a Hero of Hockey. 

According to the stalwart - he isn’t planning on slowing down just yet, and wants to continue his devotion to the sport.

“The game (hockey) is fantastic, you just can’t beat it,” he says. 

“I just love playing in a team, and love playing hockey.

“It doesn’t matter what grade you’re playing - whether it’s a-grade, c-grade or vets, it’s just a group of people.

“I love the sport, the flame is definitely still going.”