Jack Kennedy

John Robinson Kennedy (August 13, 1921 – February 20, 1999) was a Canadian football and ice hockey coach who was head coach of the Toronto Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team from 1953 to 1962, McMaster Marauders football team from 1966 to 1968 and in 1972, and the McMaster Lady Macs ice hockey team from 1975 to 1983.

Early life Kennedy was born in Toronto to two Vaudeville performers. During World War II, he was a navigator in the Royal Air Force. After leaving the military, he used his veteran benefits to attend the University of Toronto, where he played football. In 1953, he replaced Bill Wade as Toronto's hockey coach. His teams won six Queen's Cups in his nine years. His players included National Hockey League player Eric Nesterenko, NHL coaches Harry Neale and Tom Watt, and Premier of Ontario Bill Davis. He led Loyola's football team to its first-ever league championship. In 1969, Kennedy became McMaster's athletic director and was succeeded as coach by his assistant, Ray Johnson. He returned for one season (1972) while Johnson was on sabbatical. His overall record was 21–14.

In 1976, Kennedy returned to coaching with the Lady Macs hockey team. His team won the 1978 Ontario Women's Intercollegiate Athletics Association and North American championship. He died on February 20, 1999 of pneumonia at the McMaster University Medical Centre.