Pittsfield Schools Athletic Kickoffs Feature B-Ball Pro
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| Adam Harrington and his late sister, Jill. |
The annual events are mandatory meetings for student-athletes and their parents or guardians held each September.
Taconic High School will hold its meeting on Thursday, Sept. 8, at 6:30 p.m. in the Taconic auditorium.
Pittsfield High School will hold its meeting on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 6:30 p.m. in the PHS auditorium.
All student-athletes anticipating playing any fall, winter or spring sport are required to attend the meeting accompanied by and at least one parent or guardian. Topics to be discussed include: team building, the role of athletics in education, expectations of student-athletes and the importance of goal setting.
Harrington will speak at both events.
"Adam's basketball career has provided him numerous opportunities on and off the court," said Pittsfield Public Schools Athletic Director Jim Abel. "He has a genuine desire to use his experiences in an effort to impact young people in Western Massachusetts."
Harrington graduated from Pioneer Valley Regional School in Northfield in 1998. Scoring over 2,300 points in his high school career, he led Pioneer to three Western Mass. Championships and two State Championships. Harrington was awarded the 1998 Gatorade and USA Today Boys Basketball Player of the Year Awards.
After a stellar high school career and much interest from many of the nation's top college programs, Harrington attended North Carolina State and became the first freshman in school history to lead the team in scoring. His freshman season was highlighted by a season-high 26-point performance against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Following the 1998-1999 season, Harrington transferred to Auburn University and played two seasons with the Tigers, garnering All-SEC honors before signing an NBA free agent contract.
Following stints with both the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets in the NBA, Harrington continued to play professionally in the NBA Developmental League before embarking on an international career, playing for teams in Spain, Israel, Germany, France, Croatia, Poland and China.
Within the last year, Harrington has dedicated much of his life as president of a charitable organization in memory of his late sister. The Jill E. Harrington Hanzalik Memorial Fund serves as a living legacy to the attributes that Jill Harrington exhibited daily. The mission of the organization is to provide the steppingstones for young people to chase and achieve their dreams through providing aid via financial assistance, guidance, and encouragement.
"Jill forever changed the lives of everyone around her," said Harrington. "The fund is a celebration of her life that will provide opportunities to kids that will spark interest, hope, and desire for them to continue to chase their dreams."
For more information regarding Adam Harrington and the Jill E. Harrington Hanzalik Memorial Fund, visit www.chaseyourdreamsnow.org. For information on the events and the schools' athletics call 413-499-9522.
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