BELFAST — Change atop the Belfast Area High School athletic department and within the school’s administration is on the horizon as longtime Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Terry Kenniston will retire at the end of the school year. 

Kenniston became the school’s athletic director in July 2003 after a stint as principal at Old Town High School. 

Though coming from outside the Midcoast at the time, Kenniston was a familiar face in the area.

Kenniston coached the girls basketball team at Rockland District High School from 1993 to 1996 and was a four-year starter for the Rockland football, basketball and baseball teams, claiming team most valuable player and all-conference accolades at least once in each sport. 

He was inducted into the Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame in October 2014, in part for his accomplishment of being the first 1,000 point scorer at Rockland. 

After playing freshman basketball for the University of Maine, Kenniston spent time coaching high school basketball at Rockland, Maine Central Institute, Mount Blue and Belfast. 

“He has a great athletic background, he certainly has the administrative experience,” then-Belfast principal Butch Arthers told the Bangor Daily News in July 2003. “I think he’s going to be a good fit for us.”

That administrative experience would lead to Kenniston adding the title of assistant principal in addition to his athletic director duties three years later. 

In a Feb. 5 statement to penbaypilot.com, Kenniston noted he has enjoyed his time at Belfast Area High School. 

“I have been fortunate to work with many outstanding people,” he said. “The student-athletes have been a true pleasure to serve. They certainly rank high on my list of students that I have met during my 44 years in education.” 

As for his plans once he officially enters retirement? 

“I look forward to spending time with my family and playing golf upon retirement,” he said. 

Reach George Harvey and the sports department at: sports@penbaypilot.com.