ABOUT COACH BILL
Coach Bill Grew up in Chappaqua, NY and went to Horace Greeley HS. His parents owned the Greeley House Gift Shop in Chappaqua and Rye. He played many sports up until 9th grade.....Basketball, Hockey, Soccer, Football, Baseball, Tennis and Golf. He is the oldest of his siblings. His younger brother Bob, lives in Brewster, owns his own business, and is married with 3 kids. His sister, Amy, the youngest, lives in South Carolina, sells Real Estate and has 2 children.
Coach Bill played football, baseball, Track and field and wrestled at Horace Greeley High School. He was asked up to the JV basketball team his freshman year, but the wrestling senior captains convinced him that long term, wrestling would be the way to go. Good choice, ended up being crowned State Champion his senior year in wrestling. He also was 1st team all-state in football as an offensive and defensive tackle. He was also selected as “Lineman of the Decade” by the Daily News. He was the Con Ed Scholar Athlete award winner-1978
A couple interesting stories during High School. He was famous for bringing milk to the parties to make sure his teammates weren’t drinking. He also ran to school everyday with a backpack full of bricks. His Coach would meet him at school, open up the coach’s shower so he could get ready for the day.
He went to the College of William and Mary on a full football scholarship, and wrestled, which was his first love. He was the only 2 sport athlete on campus. Only William and Mary and Lehigh would allow him to compete at a D1 level in both sports. He also went on full paid recruiting trips to Alabama, LSU, Penn State and UNC for football and many others for Wrestling. He graduated with a Business major, with a minor in Geology and Art.
Playing both sports at that level took a toll on his body.... He would report for football August 1st, play into November, jump into wrestling the next day and then into spring football. It was Physically punishing and he ended up not being able to finish the wresting seasons due to injuries. He was asked to the Olympic Training camp (1980 and 1984) in Colorado Springs twice for wrestling, but was injured both times.
After College, he joined the family business, and started to Coach wrestling at Greeley right away. He was the assistant the first year and became the head coach for the next 10 years. In that time, he brought the program back from the brink of extinction to one that became a highly regarded, top 10 team.
Upon moving to Katonah 36 years ago, and learning there was no wrestling program in the school district, He started a youth wrestling program in the old Recreation department with 10 kids., the program now boasts 40-60 kids every year. Shortly thereafter, he started the Modified wrestling program with the help of then Athletic director, Nina Van Erk. The following year he started the Varsity Wrestling program supported by Rich Beckley the Athletic Director. His Career record is 394-151, and is a 15x “Coach of the Year”. He has coached over 90 All-section Athletes.
He coached his daughter and 2 sons in a variety of sports including Girls and Boys Soccer, Football, Baseball, Softball, Basketball and Wrestling. He was President of the LBA for many years and was on the Board of the Country Children’s Center (CCC) for over a decade. He is in the Horace Greeley Hall of Fame and The Section 1 Wrestling Hall of fame.
He has coached Women’s Softball at the youth, travel, modified, JV and Varsity levels. Same holds true for Wrestling. His Goal, and life’s work, has always been to develop “Kids of Character” through the sports he coaches. He seems to have accomplished that.
Coach Bill owns his own business locally in the Corporate Promotional Products and Team merchandise market. He employs many local residents. His wife, the love of his life, just retired in 2022 after teaching Physical Education and Health in the Hendrick Hudson School District for 37 years. She is a Multiple time State championship coach in Volleyball. She has coached many other sports at all levels.
John, 32, his eldest son, owns Apex Fitness with his childhood friend. They are also in the Process of opening a café in Cross River. Mark, 29, is the middle child. He owns AIA Imprint Experts in Somers. They are a contract decorator. His Daughter, Theresa, 25, is a physical Education teacher and Coach in the Chappaqua Central School district.
Interests include Family Time, Home Remodeling, Camping, Boating, Exercising, Art, knocking off line items on his honey do list, and... spending too much time at Home Depot.