Bill Rood

Coach: Volleyball - Baseball – Softball

The standard that all area high school volleyball coaches strive for was set by Linden High
School Coach Bill Rood. His tenure as the Head Varsity Volleyball Coach spanned 25 years
from 1981 to 2005 with a record for success unmatched by any other program, regardless of
sport. This “self-made” coach dedicated himself to a sport that was far different than his football
and basketball backgrounds.

Bill was born in Iowa and moved with his family to Salinas, California at the age of 9. After
graduating from North Salinas High School, where he participated in football and basketball, he
attended school at California Concordia College from 1968 to 1970 where he was a member of
the basketball team. Bill continued his academic and athletic careers at Concordia University in
River Forest, Illinois where he was a member of the football team. Bill then moved back to
California and completed his undergraduate work at California State University Stanislaus where
he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in Physical Education. Bill
would later return to school where he earned his Masters Degree from the University of the
Pacific in 1997.

Bill began his teaching career at Banta School near Tracy in 1976. He then accepted a teaching
position at Linden High School as an English teacher and assistant football coach in 1981.
Shortly before the football season was to start, he was asked by then Linden High School
principal Chuck Leach what he knew about volleyball. Bill’s response was, “I know the ball is
white!” Thus the Bill Rood era would begin. Over the next 25 years he would build one of the
most impressive athletic programs in the entire state of California. The Linden High School
volleyball team would become one of the most prolific teams in the Sac-Joaquin Section winning
20 Mother Lode League championships (including a stretch of 14 in a row and 71 consecutive
league matches), 11 Section championships (including a stretch of 5 in a row) and 7 Nor-Cal
titles. State Championships were once an impossible dream for any athletic program at Linden
High School but the team’s success during Bill’s tenure made it the expectation. The Lady Lions
realized that expectation twice, winning the State Volleyball Championship in 1990 and 1996.
Club volleyball also benefited from Bill’s services as well as he spent 10 years during that time
coaching girls from the ages of 12 to 18.

Bill always stressed academics over athletics which is why it is no surprise that many of his
players went on to play in college, many of them earning athletic scholarships. As an English
teacher for 32 years, Bill would always integrate the classroom with his coaching. “Teaching
English enhanced the coaching; the coaching enhanced the teaching. Shakespeare has a place on
the court and volleyball (et al) has a place in the classroom.” Bill would say.

Bill also coached JV baseball from 1982 to 1986 and JV softball from 2001 to 2008 winning
championships in both. But it was his time on the volleyball court where he made his biggest
impact. Bill’s peers recognized this as he was named the M.L.L. Coach of the Year 15 times, The
Stockton Record All-Area Coach of the Year 3 times and, most recently, the Sac Joaquin Section
“Model Coach of the Year” for the 2003-2004 season.

Bill and his wife Sherry have been married for 38 years and have three children, Luke, Jessica
and Lesly and 4 grandchildren. The Linden Athletic Hall of Fame is proud and honored to induct

Bill Rood into its Athletic Hall of Fame for his outstanding coaching career at Linden High
School.