Bethel Park
Pennsylvania
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The Bethel Park Hockey Association
The Bethel Park Hockey Association is a non-profit organization.
Playing first in the SPHL (South Penn Hockey League) and then the SHIHL (South Hills Interscholastic Hockey League), the Blackhawks enjoyed winning seasons in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978 and 1981. In 1983, Bethel Park hockey reached a milestone when it claimed its first Penguin Cup championship with a team that went 19-2-3 before losing to Germantown Academy and future NHL goaltender Mike Richter in the Pennsylvania State finals. The hockey success of the Bethel Park Blackhawks continued to grow in the years that followed, with the teams improving each year. In 1995, the Bladerunners ice facility was constructed on the campus of Bethel Park High School, an event that coincided with the Blackhawks' march to the top of the Pennsylvania hockey mountain.
In the last six years, Bethel Park has claimed four Pennsylvania State Championships at the AAA level, as the Blackhawks won the state championship in 1997, 2000, 2001 and repeated in 2002. During this time, the Junior Varsity team has also enjoyed success winning the first two ever Pittsburgh Cup championships in 1999 and 2000.
The success of the program over the last decade speaks for itself. Since 1992, a span of ten years, Bethel Park has been a Penguin Cup finalist seven times, and has won the Penguin Cup trophy as the best team in western Pennsylvania four times. The team's league record during this span is 193-19-7 in regular season play and 219-26-7 including playoff competition.
The Varsity's head coach is Jim McVay who was an assistant on the 1997 State Championship team before becoming head coach in 1998. In Coach McVay's four years as head coach, the Hawks are 84-6-2 in regular season play and 14-1 in the playoffs. During this span, the Blackhawks have never been behind at the end of regulation in a playoff game, the only loss coming in double overtime to Meadville in 1999.
In the course of its history, the Hawks have developed strong rivalries with a number of schools, including neighboring schools Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair and perennial Pennsylvania powerhouse Meadville. The Hawks play each of these teams twice a year in what are always competitive match-ups!
For the last several years, Bethel Park has hosted a Martin Luther King tournament at the Bladerunners rink on the campus of Bethel Park High School. Each year, competitive teams from the Pittsburgh area are invited to play at the Varsity and JV level against teams from Chicago, Toledo, Cleveland and as far away as New Brunswick, Canada.
Many hockey players in our program have gone on to play in Junior hockey and at the collegiate level. The success of the program, however, is not limited to its on-ice accomplishments. Last year, of the 61 players playing at the Varsity, JV and Freshman levels, more than half were academic honor roll recipients.
Playing first in the SPHL (South Penn Hockey League) and then the SHIHL (South Hills Interscholastic Hockey League), the Blackhawks enjoyed winning seasons in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978 and 1981. In 1983, Bethel Park hockey reached a milestone when it claimed its first Penguin Cup championship with a team that went 19-2-3 before losing to Germantown Academy and future NHL goaltender Mike Richter in the Pennsylvania State finals. The hockey success of the Bethel Park Blackhawks continued to grow in the years that followed, with the teams improving each year. In 1995, the Bladerunners ice facility was constructed on the campus of Bethel Park High School, an event that coincided with the Blackhawks' march to the top of the Pennsylvania hockey mountain.
In the last six years, Bethel Park has claimed four Pennsylvania State Championships at the AAA level, as the Blackhawks won the state championship in 1997, 2000, 2001 and repeated in 2002. During this time, the Junior Varsity team has also enjoyed success winning the first two ever Pittsburgh Cup championships in 1999 and 2000.
The success of the program over the last decade speaks for itself. Since 1992, a span of ten years, Bethel Park has been a Penguin Cup finalist seven times, and has won the Penguin Cup trophy as the best team in western Pennsylvania four times. The team's league record during this span is 193-19-7 in regular season play and 219-26-7 including playoff competition.
The Varsity's head coach is Jim McVay who was an assistant on the 1997 State Championship team before becoming head coach in 1998. In Coach McVay's four years as head coach, the Hawks are 84-6-2 in regular season play and 14-1 in the playoffs. During this span, the Blackhawks have never been behind at the end of regulation in a playoff game, the only loss coming in double overtime to Meadville in 1999.
In the course of its history, the Hawks have developed strong rivalries with a number of schools, including neighboring schools Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair and perennial Pennsylvania powerhouse Meadville. The Hawks play each of these teams twice a year in what are always competitive match-ups!
For the last several years, Bethel Park has hosted a Martin Luther King tournament at the Bladerunners rink on the campus of Bethel Park High School. Each year, competitive teams from the Pittsburgh area are invited to play at the Varsity and JV level against teams from Chicago, Toledo, Cleveland and as far away as New Brunswick, Canada.
Many hockey players in our program have gone on to play in Junior hockey and at the collegiate level. The success of the program, however, is not limited to its on-ice accomplishments. Last year, of the 61 players playing at the Varsity, JV and Freshman levels, more than half were academic honor roll recipients.