US Men's and Women Win Gold in Milan, Italy
How the 1980 Miracle on Ice Changed My Life and How 2026 Men's and Women's Olympic Gold May Shape Your Child's
February 22nd, 1980, is the reason I stand here before you today. As a nine-year-old boy growing up in Long Island, New York, I was not yet into hockey. I knew what hockey was and became curious about the sport from photos I would see in my school's encyclopedia. But not yet on my journey to living my purpose.
But something happened on this Winter Day in 1980 that would make me a hockey fan forever. The United States Men's Olympic Hockey Team was supposed to be nowhere near the medal podium in Lake Placid, New York. Especially with a bunch of college kids competing in a tournament with the famed Soviet Union, who at that time were the bad guy and the greatest hockey team in the world...
Just two weeks earlier, the 1980 Men's Olympic hockey team played an exhibition match with the Russian Red Machine in the world's most famous arena at Madison Square Garden before the games and was blown out 10-3. And it should have been worse than that. Men versus boys. The USA by all accounts and by everyone had NO chance.
But on Feb 22nd, 1980, in a cold little rink in the New York Mountains, a hockey game became the greatest event in US sports history and perhaps all of sports history. With exactly 10:00 left in the game and miraculously tied 3-3, Mike Eruzione scored to give the United States an incredible 4-3 lead. But there were still 10 minutes left to hold off the greatest hockey power on the planet.
My mom and dad, understanding what was happening and the significance of it, woke 9-year-old Salvatore out of bed to watch the last 10:00. Holding on with our last gasps of breath until the final buzzer, the US withstood everything from the Russians until five, four, three, two, one....... and the most famous call in sports history from Al Michaels.
"DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? YESSSSSSSSSSSS"
Life changed forever. What if they did not get me out of bed that night?
46 years later to the day, Jack Hughes scored at 1:41 of overtime to give the Americans a heart-pounding 2-1 overtime win versus Canada, and Team USA's first gold medal since the 1980 Miracle on Ice. Not only that, but days earlier the USA Women's National Team, on the heels of a memorable move from Megan Keller, scored also versus Canada at 4:07 into overtime to give the Women gold by the same 2-1 overtime score.
Team USA Men and Women are golden!!!
These are the kind of sporting moments through the eyes of young boys and girls that they will remember forever. Like 1980, which inspired a whole new generation of hockey fans—myself included—and players, 2026 will do the same. The big difference now as compared to 1980 is that there is more access to the game than ever. Skates, sneakers, or both. The game is now truly for everyone, and kids have more access and resources than we ever had. This is just one of many reasons the pure excitement of hockey makes it the greatest sport in the world.
My hope is that you tell your children, if they are into sports, how important this moment is. I hope they can take in the significance of this rare special time in US sports history and that I can light an even brighter flame in that inspiration. Join us in 2026, starting with our first ball hockey league later this year and our free Grow the Game event with USA Ball Hockey on July 18th. Your future is golden.
— Coach Salvatore Ippolito
Emerald City Ball Hockey
"Hockey is for everybody"
