Keynote Speaker, 1980 Olympic Gold Medal “Miracle On Ice” Hockey Team Member
(Hoffman Estates, IL). The Bancroft School will welcome 1980 Olympic Gold Medal “Miracle On Ice” Hockey Team member, John Harrington, as the keynote speaker at the First Annual Bancroft Awards Dinner on Thursday, October 9, 2014 at DePaul University. Please go to www.thebancroftschool.org or call 630-283-5046 for additional information and to purchase tickets.
Because he was a part of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, the name John Harrington still resonates with hockey fans around the Olympic hockey community. The Americans’ improbable victory over the Soviet Union led to an Olympic gold medal at Lake Placid during the 1980 Olympics. Harrington earned the assist on Mike Eruzione’s game-winning goal in the semifinal as the U.S. marched on to win the Gold Medal under head coach Herb Brooks.
Following 1984, Harrington retired from playing and rejoined his college roots as an Assistant Coach at the University of Denver. The highlight of Harrington’s time at Denver was 1985-86 when Denver won a school record 34 games and advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four. In 1990, Harrington returned to Minnesota as an Assistant Coach for St. Cloud State University.
From 1993-2008, Harrington was the Head Hockey Coach at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota where he turned around a listless program. By his fourth season he had guided SJU to a school-record 26-6-1 mark, the school’s first conference championship since 1950, the school’s first conference playoff championship, the school’s first NCAA tournament berth and an NCAA third place victory. In 15 seasons at Saint John’s he has a career record of 241-142-31 (.620). He has won five MIAC titles, four MIAC playoff championships and has advanced to the NCAA tournament five times. Harrington is the school leader in career wins. In addition to his coaching duties, Harrington was the Assistant Athletic Director at Saint John’s.
In 2003, John Harrington was inducted in the United States Hockey Hall of Fame along with his 1980 Olympic team mates. On March 31, 2008 Harrington would step down as Head Coach at Saint John’s to become Head Coach for HC Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss National League. On January 19, 2009 Harrington signed a contract as Head Coach for Slovenia men’s national ice hockey team.
About The Bancroft School:
The Bancroft School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization certified by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) as a non-public special education school that services children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, PDD-NOS, emotional/behavioral disorders, specific learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, and other health impairments. http://www.thebancroftschool.org