John Kennedy was born in Red Lake, Ontario, Canada, and was raised in Milwaukee, where he played his youth hockey for Milwaukee SHAW, when the SHAW program was in its early, formative years.  He played for SHAW thru high school, and was a member of SHAW’s first State Championship team at the Bantam B level in 1975.  Following high school, Kennedy went on to play for the Marquette University Club team from 1979-1983.  Kennedy’s playing career did not end here, as he played 17 seasons with the West Allis Selects and the Milwaukee Flyers Senior Team in the Great Lakes League.
 
In addition to playing, beginning as a 12 year old, Kennedy began to officiate, and works games to this day at both the USA Hockey and WIAA levels.  He also officiates AAA level tournaments and Milwaukee Men’s League games.  He is a Level 3 official.

After his playing career concluded, Kennedy began coaching, and continues that today.  As a SHAW youth coach, John Kennedy’s teams won four WAHA State Champonships:  in 2004 at Squirt C; in 2005 at Squirt B; in 2006 at Squirt A; and in 2009 at Bantam A.  His coaching career extended to three season with the Milwaukee Jr. Admirals at the Tier I level.  Today, he remains the head coach of the Greendale Ice Force Co-op team, composed of players from 10 different high schools.  The Ice Force plays in the Class 8 Conference.  John Kennedy has taken the Ice Force from being relatively weak, to being very competitive with most the WIAA teams in the State.  In the words of one of his supporters, “he is a great teacher with a calming, attentive approach with each kid.  He also plans the season and practices great attention to detail.”
           
Kennedy also spent five years coaching Little League Baseball in Franklin.  He and his wife Jeanne have two sons, Trevor and Brian.