LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WKBW) — Step inside Lockport High School's gym during boys basketball practice, and you'll notice one player stands out among the rest.
That's Charlie Croff IV, one of the best basketball players in all of Western New York.
"I've had a basketball in my hands since I was born, honestly," he said. "My dad put it in my hands, obviously, and he's been a big factor in the player I am."
Basketball isn't a game for the Croff family; it's a way of life. When it comes to Lockport basketball, Charlie's dad, Charlie Croff III, was a standout in the 1990's.
"We're just a competitive family," Charlie Croff III said. "We'll come out of the grocery store and race to the car to see who's first to the car. It's just who we are, and I think that's huge being successful in any sport."
WATCH: First Student Super 7 Athlete of the Week: Lockport's Charlie Croff IV
Rewind to six minutes into Lockport's game against Niagara Wheatfield, Croff IV became the school's all-time leading scorer, surpassing 1,471 points in his four-year varsity career. A record that stood for 41 years.
"I had a lot of awesome people, coaches, help me get to where I'm at today," Charlie Croff IV said. "Once I broke the record, it was a pretty cool moment; it felt pretty good."
"You don't really understand it until you hear that number, 41 years," Dave Gilson, Lockport High School basketball coach, said. "I mean, my gosh, how fortunate I am as a coach to be a part of it."
As head coach, Dave Gilson has had a front row seat to watching him carry on the family legacy.
"Charlie's carved his own path too," he said. "He's just been that kid who comes in every day and works hard."
Next season, Croff will keep his talents local and join Mike MacDonald's squad over at Daemen.
"My dad is a really hard worker, and I look up to that," Croff IV said. "Like I said, he basically developed me into the player I am today."
"Whoever is watching the game sees him knocking down threes and scoring baskets," Croff III said. "They don't see the hours and hours he puts in. I'm just glad his hard work is paying off."
