John Bazzachini – Hockey Coach and Founder of

Hogs For Dogs

When he was a young boy, john bazzachini would skate before school and on the weekends. He has been coaching hockey at the high school and college level for over 30 years.

He was a longtime coach at St. Olaf, where he guided the Oles to six Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoffs. He also coached at Hopkins and Irondale high schools, and is the founder and president of Bazzachini’s Hockey Training.

Early Life and Education

Bazzachini graduated from Hibbing High School, Hibbing Community College and Saint John’s Technical School. He played two years of Division I hockey and served as a college hockey coach. He founded a hockey training program for youth, called John Bazzachini’s Hockey Training, which trains over 700 kids each summer. His family and friends said he was a kind-hearted man of integrity and good morals. He also started a motorcycle-based charity, Hogs for Dogs, to raise money and awareness for assistance dog organizations.

Professional Career

john bazzachini is a former ice hockey player. He played for Minnesota State University Mavericks from 2002 to 2006 and became the program’s first three-year captain. He has coached the boys teams at Irondale High School and Hopkins University, and is the founder and President of John Bazzachini’s Hockey Training in Hibbing, Minnesota. The company trains over 700 kids a summer. It has a staff of 30 employees. It is also the holder of several state and national awards for excellence in sports training.

Achievements and Honors

Bazzachini was named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Coach of the Year in 2006-07, guiding the Oles to a 15-10-1 record and six playoff appearances. He compiled an 112-193-28 career record with St. Olaf, including 87-129-23 in MIAC play. Prior to joining the Oles staff in 2005, he spent a decade coaching the boy’s hockey team at Irondale High School and Hopkins High School. He also served as the head coach of the CODP (Community Olympic Development Program) and is the founder and president of John Bazzachini’s Hockey Training, a company that trains over 700 kids per summer.

During his playing days, he played two years of Division I hockey at the United States Air Force Academy and was a two-time All-MIAC selection at Saint John’s University (Minn.). He was also a member of the USA National Select 15 and 17 hockey festivals.

Personal Life

As a leader in the Iron Range labor movement, Bazzachini was known for his integrity and his ability to connect with people. During his five-year run as president of the International Association of Machinists Local 1833, he led the local through a tumultuous time, paving the way for Northwest Airlines mechanics to reach major concessions in 1993 that prevented the airline from entering bankruptcy. A true community-minded man, Bazzachini also made a lasting impression on his family and friends with a charity he started called Hogs for Dogs that raises money to buy guide dogs for blind individuals across the nation.

Eileen Bazzachini says her husband was a very proud Minnesotan and his death is a sad loss to the Iron Range community. She said he was always giving and loved his family and the community of Eagan, where he had lived since moving to Minnesota from Hibbing in 2006. His funeral is today at 10 am at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Eagan.