A surprise retirement party was held for Bill Kennedy May 3 at the Bethel Park Community Center. The event honored the teacher for his 36 years as a coach with the high school girls’ swimming program.

Bill Kennedy makes his entrance into the banquet hall during a surprise retirement party for the long-time Bethel Park teacher and girls’ swim team coach. Kennedy helped the Lady Hawks claim four state titles, four PIAA runner-up trophies, 15 WPIAL championships and 23 section banners during his tenure. His record was 270-43 overall with six straight undefeated dual meet seasons.

Parents and swimmers greeted Bill Kennedy by hiding behind masks bearing his image.

Bill Kennedy reacts to discovering the event he was asked to attend actually turned out to be a surprise retirement party, marking his 36 successful seasons as a coach with the Bethel Park girls' swim team.

Bill Kennedy is overcome by emotion when he sees how many of his former swimmers traveled from across the country to return to Bethel Park for his surprise retirement party. Kennedy steps down as girls' varsity swim coach after 36 seasons.

Bill and Nancy Kennedy pose with a cardboard cutout of their son, Bill, as his retirement party for 36 years as a coach with the Bethel Park swimming program. Coach Kennedy was inducted into the Pennsylvania Swimming Hall of Fame in 2012.

Carey Siwek, Chelsea Bower, Sarah Dunleavy and Jillian Sebrosky all swam for Bill Kennedy. Bower was one of three Lady Hawks to qualify for the Olympic Trials.

McDonald’s Big Gulps and Diet Coke sustained Bill Kennedy during many a practice and road trip.

Bill Kennedy chats with his assistant coach, Kathy Jenkins Strok, who organized the surprise retirement party for her boss. Kennedy steps down after 36 years of coaching the Bethel Park girls' swim team.

Tracey Delbene and Lisa McGrath. Their Class of 1988 won four WPIAL titles, one state championship and one PIAA runner-up trophy.

Class of 2014 swimmers: Jessica Hirsch, Allie Brinkhoff, Arzillo, Breanna Doyle

Bill Kennedy poses with Emily Carter, Jenn (Fraas) Barber, Jessica (Gibbons) Bellowich, Brianna (Haid) Richards.

Casey Stasenko, Tricia Gibbs, Kelsey Dawson and Natalie Keibler. All but Stasenko, Class of 2010, represented the Bethel Park Class of 2009 in girls' swimming.

Bill Kennedy with Janice Nielsen.

Bill Kennedy poses with Tracey Corbett, whom he walked down the aisle at her wedding.

Marnie Urso and her mother, Ann.

Bill Kennedy shares a laugh with Emily Carter, who swam at Stanford and had made a U.S. Olympic Trials time cut while swimming at Bethel Park, and Jenn (Fraas) Barber, who earned a scholarship to Florida.