Serra Catholic High School Names Basketball Court After Longtime Coach, Athletic Director Bill Cleary
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By: KDKA-TV News Staff
MCKEESPORT (KDKA) — While Bill Cleary may have won over 20 section titles, WPIAL titles, and PIAA titles during his career as the girls basketball coach at Serra Catholic High School, the most recent title he’s picked up is one that might mean the most to him.
The home court where he led his teams to over 650 career wins over the past 34 years will now carry his namesake.
It was recently announced that the gymnasium at the high school will now be known as the William J. Cleary Court.
Cleary announced he was retiring as the basketball coach and as the school’s athletic director after this past basketball season ended.
Serra Catholic girls basketball coach Bill Cleary gives instructions to his team during a timeout on December 18th, 2017. (Photo Credit: Mike Darnay/Mon Valley Independent)
During his 41 years of teaching, Cleary spent 38 as the Athletic Director at Serra, with 34 of those years as the girls basketball coach.
In those 34 years as coach, Serra never had a losing season, and Cleary’s teams won 18 section titles, four WPIAL titles, and one PIAA state championship.
This past season, Cleary led his team to an undefeated regular season record for the first time in his 34 years, making it all the way to the WPIAL Championship game, before falling to Neshannock.
Serra Catholic girls basketball coach Bill Cleary cheers on his team during the WPIAL 2A Championship game on March 12th, 2021 at North Allegheny High School in Wexford. (Photo Credit: Mike Darnay/Mon Valley Independent)
Cleary was surprised with the news last week.
“I was taken by surprise and overwhelmed,” he told the Tribune-Review. “I started crying. The emotions overcame me. Wow, it’s quite an honor.”
The school says that an official dedication of the court and gymnasium will take place in December when basketball season picks up for the winter sports season.