Bruce Harbach

Bruce Harbach
2018
J. Freeland Chryst Award

After arriving at Lancaster Catholic HS as Head Football Coach in 2002, Bruce Harbach didn’t take long to start putting together double-digit winning seasons for the Crusaders.

In Harbach’s third year Catholic went 10-2 and in six out of the next seven seasons, the Crusaders had 11 wins or more, culminating with a 16-0 season in 2011.

Harbach’s 16-year tenure at Catholic included two PIAA state titles (’09, ’11) and four District III AA titles (’05, ’08, ’09, ’11), six appearances in the District III AA title game and eight Section Three championships, including seven in a row. His record was 139-55. At that time, he was the lone Lancaster-Lebanon League football coach with multiple state championships.

Harbach was named the L-L League’s Section Three Coach of the Year six times.

In all, Harbach has spent 41 years in coaching football, including serving as assistant coach at West Chester University, Albright College, Reading HS and Wilson HS.