Lancaster Catholic High School’s football coach Bruce Harbach will retire at the end of the season, his 16th as the head of the Crusader program. Harbach led Catholic High through its most successful run in school history, winning a pair of PIAA State Championships in 2009 and 2011 and compiling a 138-54 overall record.
“I look back with gratitude. I entered a profession dedicated to assisting young people achieve their potential, and I made tremendous relationships with players, coaches, teams, faculty, parents and the community,” Harbach explained. “The value of these relationships has been priceless. There is no amount of wins or titles that can ever put a price on the bonds that were created with my time here at Lancaster Catholic. I will leave as Head Football Coach a better man than when I started.”
Harbach led the Crusaders to seven double-digit win seasons, including the remarkable 16-0 run in 2011 that culminated in the program’s second State Championship in three seasons. The Crusaders made the District 3 Playoffs in nine of his 16 seasons, winning gold in 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2011, while reaching the Championship Game six times from 2004-11.
The Crusaders won eight Lancaster/Lebanon League Section 3 titles under Harbach’s direction, including seven-straight from 2005-11, going a perfect 10-0 in the regular season four times during that span. Harbach claimed Lancaster/Lebanon League Section 3 Coach of the Year honors six times, PIAA Coach of the Year in 2009 & 2011 and Lancaster Catholic finished in the Top 10 in the PIAA AA State Rankings for seven consecutive seasons.
“It has been a joy working with Bruce over these last 16 years,” Terry Klugh, LCHS Principal and former Athletic Director said. “Even more than the tremendous victories, Bruce will be missed for his warm, supportive relationships he had with players and families. I am very thankful to be able to call him a friend.”
Harbach will be succeeded by current defensive coordinator Todd Mealy, who joined the Crusader family in 2016.
“Coach Harbach has been a tremendous coach for Lancaster Catholic over the last 16 years. When he started, the program was struggling to get players out for the team, but he set goals to get more players out, build the program and win district and state titles,” Rich Hinnenkamp, LCHS Athletic Director said. “We have some of those challenges with low numbers now in our program, but I am excited about the fact that we do not have to rebuild because the staff will stay intact. Coach Mealy has an extensive coaching background and we are more than pleased with the direction the program is headed thanks to Coach Harbach.”
In his 41-year coaching career, Harbach coached at West Chester University, Reading High School, Albright College, Roanoke Rapids (N.C.) High School, Indian River (Va.) High School and Wilson High School, where he retired after 30 years of teaching strength and conditioning and physical education. He is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Hall of Fame and the Wilson High School Athletic Hall of Fame.