Norwich University

Bill Cahill's mother taught him to skate on a pond in Elm park in Worcester, Massachusetts. On June 11, 2005, oon what would have been Cahill's 55th birthday, that same pond was named after him by the mayor for his contribution to youth development. "Bill would have been really honored by that," his brother, Peter, said. "He was a really humble guy."
From the beginning, on that skating pond in his native city or Worcester, Cahill spent his life loving and living the game of hockey. A graduate of St. Peter's High School he was inducted into the school's Guardian Hall of Fame. Cahill was a forward on Norwich's hockey team, a two year letter winner. He graduated in 1973 with a major in Education and later earned a Master's in Physical Education from Norwich.
Cahill spent his professional life as a hockey coach. He coached at Assumption College, New Hampton Prep, Norwich, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. At Norwich he was the assistant men's hockey coach from 1990-92. Cahill served as the head coach from 1993-95 and he became the first alumni to coach the famed team.
In October 2003, when Cahill died unexpectedly, he was the women's head hockey coach at RPI. Cahill loved his job at RPI and said in an interview for RPI's alumni magazine in March of 2003 that he enjoyed coaching because the RPI athletes "are competitive, not only in athletics, but academics... they're driven. When you're coaching, all you have to do is some guiding." Jis brother, Peter, said "in the end he was pleased to know his players were becoming productive members of society." Cahill was named ECAC Coach of the Year in 2003. 
At Norwich, in 2003, the winning trophy for the Alumni Weekend hockey game, was renamed the William H. Cahill Memorial trophy. The first year it was presented, 14 members of the Cahill family attended the game and ensuing reception. Cahill's brother, Peter, was presented with a framed Cadet jersey with Cahill's number by Anthony Mariano, Director of Norwich Athletics. 
Another posthumous honor includes the 2005 Joe Burke Award bestowed by the American Hockey Coaches Association. Julie Sasner, the MIT hockey coach who nominated Cahill for the award, said, "Bill had a genuine love for the game of hockey and loved to talk about the game as much as he loved coaching. He was supportive of all hockey, men's and women's, girl's and boy's and not just his own team.... he was generous with his time and knowledge." 
When asked what his brother would think about being inducted into the Norwich Athletic Hall of Fame, Peter Cahill said, He'd be completely honored and speechless. For him coaching wasn't work. It was his way of giving back. He wanted people to have the same joy of hockey he did."