Remembering ‘Coachie': Bill Robertson's lasting legacy

Posted Tuesday, September 8, 2026 12:37 pm In Bill's Memory Celebration of Life Saturday, Sept. 19, 4 to 7 p.m. Bill's family invites those who knew and loved him to join in remembering Bill, sharing stories and memories, and celebrating his life. Details and RSVP: tinyurl.com/bill-celebration-of-life In lieu of flowers Donations may be made to the Bill Robertson 'Coachie' Award Fund, established in Bill's memory. The annual award will recognize a girl and boy senior student-athlete who embody the character, determination, work ethic and love of sport that Bill encouraged throughout his life. Donate: gofundme.com/f/coachie-award-fund Obituary: tinyurl.com/bill-obituary For generations of Yorktown High School athletes, William 'Bill' Robertson has been affectionately known to us as simply 'Coachie'—a fiercely competitive coach, a fantastic role model, and a driving force behind Yorktown athletics whose influence extended far beyond the scoreboard. Robertson passed away Aug. 22, one day shy of his 92nd birthday. His remarkable career included 37 years teaching high school physical education and over five decades of coaching varsity and junior varsity sports, including 48 of those years at Yorktown High School. During his years at Yorktown, Robertson coached girls and boys varsity soccer, girls and boys varsity and junior varsity ski racing, varsity track, junior varsity football, girls junior varsity lacrosse and boys varsity swimming. He started Yorktown's girls varsity soccer program, during which his teams won more than 20 league championships and nearly 20 sectional championships. He also won numerous boys soccer league and sectional titles. Perhaps Robertson's most enduring contribution was to high school ski racing. In 1972, Robertson established Section 1 Skiing and went on to serve as its president and Section 1 coordinator for more than three decades. He coached Yorktown's varsity ski team for 43 years and led his team to an extraordinary record of success, including winning more than 35 division championships and 25 league and sectional championships, sending numerous ski racers to the state championships nearly every year. Today, that program he helped build continues to give young athletes the opportunity to compete more than 50 years later. Speaking from my own experience, it has been a great honor to have known Bill Robertson for 42 years — first playing soccer and ski racing for him for four years at YHS, and later coaching varsity skiing alongside him for 12 years before he retired in 2015, leaving me to carry his legacy forward to the present day. As one of Coachie's athletes, I trained harder than I ever had in my life, but I was in the best physical shape an athlete could be in. Robertson kept encouraging us to push ourselves to work harder and move faster, often by interjecting some humor into his coaching, saying things like, 'C'mon! You're moving slower than molasses running uphill in the middle of January!' Former YHS skier Ryan Calvi once remarked, 'He'd always tell us, 'It's mind over matter, and once you can get over the pain, you can do anything.'' Calvi, who died in February 2023, said he lived by that mindset 'every single day.' As a coach, Robertson worked tirelessly on a daily basis. He accompanied us on all the long-distance running during sports practices, and during ski practices, he set up daily slalom training courses, right up until his final year of coaching, at 80 years of age. He was also a strong, moral role model who led by example, demonstrating great sportsmanship and gamesmanship, excellence, strong motivation and dedication, hard work, persistence, perseverance, self-discipline and leadership. He never hesitated to stick his neck out in order to vigorously advocate for his athletes' needs and rights in the endless politics of Section 1 sports. Over the years, countless former athletes of his have described the incredible impact Robertson had in their lives. As former skier Amanda Cesario summed it up, 'I always enjoyed skiing and team sports, but no one saw my potential the way Coach Robertson did. He had a way of believing in students who simply showed up, worked hard, and gave their best, regardless of who they were or what their ability was. He made everyone feel seen and valued, while creating a sense of camaraderie and joy that I'll always remember. Looking back, I realize how much he shaped my love for skiing—and I'll always be grateful for that.' Wendy Nufer is the head coach of the Yorktown High School varsity ski team.