BILL YARDLEY

Steve Virgen

The role models in Bill Yardley’s life helped make him a star

volleyball player at Newport Harbor High, then an All-American at

USC.

Of course, there was local legend and Basketball Hall of Famer

George Yardley, as well as Coach Charlie Brande and USC Coach Bob

Yoder. Yet for all the great coaching and mentoring he received, Bill

Yardley benefited most from tutelage at home.

“People usually associate me with George, but he was raising his

own,” Bill Yardley said of his uncle. “My father was absolutely my

mentor. He was incredible. He is everything to me.”

Bill Yardley’s father, Bob, found success in basketball at Newport

Harbor and Orange Coast College. Hoops has always been a big part of

the Yardleys’ world. Bill Yardley loved to play basketball in high

school.

“In high school, basketball was my favorite sport, but volleyball

was my ticket to the next level,” Yardley said. “I got a scholarship

to USC for volleyball. I was a three-time, first-team All-American.”

To get to that point, Yardley did his best to improve his game in

high school. At Newport Harbor, Brande helped develop Yardley’s

skills.

“The best thing about Charlie was, not only did he give us great

lessons about the game, he also taught us about commitment,

discipline and work ethic,” Yardley said. “Charlie’s satisfaction was

getting his athletes scholarships. That’s as good a quality anyone

can have.”

Yardley excelled and his crowning moment came in 1980, his senior year at Newport Harbor, when he contributed to the Sailors’ CIF

Southern Section championship.

Newport Harbor defeated Estancia, 15-13, 8-15, 9-15, 15-6, 15-7 to

win the title. The year before, Newport was upset by Estancia in the

CIF quarterfinals.

“That was a very difficult time, my junior year,” Yardley said.

“To be able to regroup and play that exact same team at OCC, to be

able to win five games and share it with everyone on the team, that

will always be a great feeling of accomplishment.”

While at USC, Yardley said he gained more confidence in his

ability, which factored greatly into becoming an All-American. As a

6-foot-4 outside hitter, Yardley continued to improve each year. He

helped lead the Trojans to the NCAA championship match in 1985, when

USC lost to Pepperdine at Pauley Pavilion.

After college, Yardley attempted to make the U.S. national team,

which had just won the 1984 Olympics. Yardley earned a spot on the

team and competed with the squad for a year. He wasn’t able to get

much playing time, but Yardley said he enjoyed being able to travel

with “the best team in the world.”

“I also played on a Nike club team in the late ‘80s,” Yardley

said. “Eventually I just stopped playing competitive volleyball in

the early ‘90s. I was OK with that. For some people, it’s difficult

to stop playing. But I played a lot of volleyball in high school,

college and club. It’s something that I will never forget. It’s

something I still think about.”

Yardley, his wife, Evelyn, and 7-year-old daughter Kierstyn live

in Newport Beach. Yardley, the latest Daily Pilot Sports Hall Fame

honoree, works within the healthcare equipment industry. He also

remains active in the community.

He competed in the Newport Harbor alumuni match. He also coached

Kierstyn’s soccer team.